Naruto: Outcast
by Bill Alain
Summary: Naruto is shunned from Konoha after failing to retrieve Sasuke. Unwilling to abandon his dream, He stalks the nearby forest as the ‘The Outcast’, protecting all those loyal to Konoha, and attacking it’s enemies. NaruXHina. Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Naruto.

* * *

It all came down to this.

Sasuke stood at the base of the statue of his ancestor, Madara Uchiha, his skin was blacker, his hair longer and paler, he had two hand-like wings protruding from his back, and his Sharingan eyes were spinning madly. In his hand was the Chidori, the evil chakra pumping through him made it look evil and demonic.

Facing him was Naruto, cloaked in the red chakra of the Fox that was sealed into his belly. His canines grew to fangs, his fingernails were now claws, his once blue eyes were now red. A chakra tail flicked behind him. In his hand was the blue spiraling sphere of the Rasengan.

Enemies, facing each other. Rivals. Friends.

It all came down to this.

**"Naruto!"** Sasuke yelled, his voice altered by the cursed seal on his neck. He jumped into the air, Chidori forward.

**"Sasuke!"** Naruto called back, his voice changed by the Fox's influence. He jumped forward too, his own attack ahead of him.

Sasuke's wings flapped once, giving him extra momentum. **"Chidori!"**

Naruto didn't care about momentum; he didn't care about anything, except his friend, and bringing him back. **"Rasengan!"**

The two attacks met, creating a purple sphere around the combatants, engulfing them together in darkness.

One would win, and one would fail.

It all came down to this.

* * *

Kakashi was running through the trees, passing signs of large conflicts, trying to find his two students. He ran onward, following the trail to a place that he had not seen for years. The Valley of the End. The waves of the lake were in chaos, roaring ten-foot waves crashed against the resolute cliffs. The feet of the statues were in ruins. The roaring waterfall crashed against the water, keeping the waves vivid.

Kakashi made a quick scan of the area. He was about to turn and leave when he saw a small figure.

The figure lay motionless at the foot of the waterfall, on a small shelf that stood above the lake, dry. The figure didn't even twitch.

Kakashi's eye widened. "No."

* * *

He was in the hospital. He knew that. Somehow. He was asleep. He knew that too. Somehow. He was alive. He knew that also. He was thankful that he was able to see the light of day again, as memories of what happened at the falls echoed through his consciousness. But there was something else he knew. He knew that this would not turn out good for him.

* * *

The council was in an uproar, partly because they knew what had happened, and who had won, and who had lost. "We should have never trusted him!" one of the members yelled, he was one of the five civilian members of the council, "He has always been a menace to this village, and it's probably his fault that Sasuke left!" The other four civilians backed him up with a collective yell of approval.

"Don't you dare say that!" Another member yelled, Inuzuka Tsume, a feral-looking woman with wild brown hair and twin red fang marks along her cheeks, "He has done nothing but love this village, he has been nothing but a role model for my son, and he has nothing but a good heart!"

"He's a demon!" another civilian cried.

"Silence!" This time, Chouza of the Akimichi clan spoke, "My son Chouji also sees him a great friend, what demon would even care for a child?"

"He's the Fox! Aren't foxes known for being the slyest creatures on the earth? He is probably poisoning you and your children against the village." A third civilian member called out.

"This is so troublesome." Nara Shikaku mumbled. "Are you too arrogant and ignorant to know the difference between a sealing scroll and the object sealed in it?"

"Oh, shut up you ninja freaks!" A fourth, and less controlled civilian member of the council yelled. "You cannot deny that the Fox has an influence over the boy, it is written on his face, as evidenced by the whisker marks. He may not be the actual Fox, but he's still the body of it."

Aburame Shibi remained silent, but under his cool exterior, his blood was boiling, _"Freaks!? Freaks, huh? You want to see a freak just look in the mirror. Any man who won't let a boy have a chance in his own home is worse than dirt!"_

Yamanaka Inoichi voiced Shibi's thoughts. "You are an idiot! If Naruto really was the Fox in a human body, he would have destroyed the Village years ago!"

"He's a Fox in a human's clothing!" The fifth member of the civilians said, "He's only selling the deception by acting like he cares!"

Only three members of the council didn't speak, Shibi, who would not speak because of his cool demeanor, Danzou, an old war hawk who was trying to find a way to have this play to his advantage, and Hyuuga Hiashi, who was trying to figure out where he himself stood with the boy. _"Hinata loves him, that is simply unacceptable!"_ he thought, _"And yet…there's something about him…He even help Neji…but still, getting close to my daughter is dangerous."_

"Order!" Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage yelled over the din of the voices. "I will have order!" The council members began to quiet down. When silence was achieved, Tsunade began. "This petty arguing is not why this meeting was called. We came here to discuss what we are to do about Uchiha Sasuke."

Danzou, that shrewd and sly snake of a man, spoke up. "We should punish the one responsible for his leaving, and send more…'experienced' ninjas after him."

Tsunade instantly went on guard. "What do you mean by the one responsible?"

"I am only agreeing with Teinousha-san (moron), it is probably Naruto's influence that led to Sasuke's leaving."

The clan leaders, excluding Shibi and Hiashi, yelled in anger. "How dare you even suggest that!" Tsume yelled.

The civilian members on the other hand, agreed with Danzou. "Yeah! Let's execute him!"

Tsunade cried for order again. Once the silence returned, she stared down Danzou. "You have no proof of this, I can't and will not accept the idea of punishing him."

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, but you honestly have no say in the matter, the law states that if one third of the council agrees to a motion, then it must be taken to a vote, and as you can see, half of the council is agreeing to the motion."

Tsunade cursed under her breath. "Alright, but first of all, we won't kill him, I will never accept a boy with such a good record to be killed under my reign. The worst I'll ever allow you to do is exile him." Tsunade said.

"Fair enough, I suppose we should reward the boy's 'kindness' towards the Village with letting him leave with his life, but if her ever comes within five miles of Konoha we have the authority to treat him as a missing nin."

Tsunade glared at him, however she was confident that this would never happen, she knew that the clan heads would vote for Naruto to stay while the civilians would vote for him to leave, ending in a tie, and as the law stated, in the case of a tie, the Hokage got to give his/her say. "Very well, Danzou. I agree to your terms. All those in favor in exiling Uzumaki Naruto raise your hand."

The civilians raised their hands, and Danzou. Tsunade smiled, and was about to move on, when she saw something that made her blood run cold. Hiashi raised his hand. So the vote was cast, those for exiling, seven, and those against, five.

Naruto would be thrown out of Konoha, never to enter the walls again.

* * *

Naruto woke up, dizzy. He was in the hospital, but he knew that days ago. He had failed to retrieve Sasuke, he knew that a while ago too. Tsunade sat next to his bed, a sad look on her face. Alright, so he didn't know that.

"Baa-shan, what are you doing here?" Naruto said smiling, knowing full well that that comment would earn him a super-powered flick to the head.

It didn't come.

Tsunade only looked down at the floor, a frown on her face.

"…Tsunade…?" Naruto said.

She looked up at him, tears in her brown eyes. "You…you have a week to say goodbye to everyone."

Naruto looked confused. "Why? Am I going somewhere?"

Tsunade couldn't even look at him. "The-the council…the council wants you exiled."

Naruto looked at her. Before he laughed. "Oh, ho! Oh that's good! I actually believed you for a second there!" Naruto laughed.

Tsuande stared at him, with tearful eyes.

Naruto stopped laughing, "You're serious…aren't you?"

Tsunade hung her head, before hugging the boy, "I am so sorry, Naruto. I am so, so sorry."

* * *

Naruto was released that day, and went to everyone he could think of to tell them the bad news. He could barely take a couple of steps down a street without breaking into tears. It moved the heart of some to sympathy. Others rejoiced at his misfortune. He walked slowly, wandering through the Village, telling everyone who he counted a friend as they walked by. Some of them cried with him, a few gave him gifts, which he accepted, as mementos of his friends.

He had gone to Neji, Chouji, Shikamaru, and Kiba at the hospital, they were all awake, except Neji, who's near fatal injury left him asleep for the week. So Naruto went off to find his teammates, so they could pass on his goodbye. Tenten, upon hearing the news, gave him on of her swords, as a tool to protect himself with, while Lee simply cried, going on about flames of Youth.

Naruto just didn't seem to care though.

Naruto also went to his teammates, and told Kakashi and Sakura. Sakura began to cry because she was losing both Sasuke and Naruto in the same month, while Kakashi gave him a scroll of jutsus, "I probably should have taught you these earlier, but now it's too late, so I want you to take these."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei." And so Naruto went, telling all of those who cared for him that he had to leave in six days, and he did so without the slightest hint of emotion.

Finally he came to the Hyuuga compound, and here he stood, at the gates, receiving glares from the guards. He looked up at one. His blue eyes were dead. "May I tell my friend that I am going to leave?"

"You have no friends here, demon." One of them said, before smacking him across the face.

Naruto looked up at them with dead eyes again, "May I tell my friend that I am going to leave?"

The other guard hit him, "We told you 'No', now go away!"

Naruto looked up at them again. Then he turned to leave.

Then a voice came from behind him, "Na-Naruto-k-kun?"

The Orange clad boy turned, and he saw Hyuuga Hinata.

"W-what are you d-doing h-here?"

"I came to say goodbye."

"W-where are y-y-you g-going?"

"I am being exiled from Konoha."

The words seemed to break bones. "W-What?" She asked, making sure she heard right.

"The council decided that I am to be exiled, and I cannot approach within five miles of Konoha." He said again.

"W-Why?"

"I don't know." He said as he hung his head. "I came to tell you so you could come see me off next week."

Hinata stared at him. He was going to be gone in a week. Gone. Away. Never to be seen again.

The thought scared her, but what scared her more was the thought that she would never be able to talk to him again. That she would never be able to see him again. That he would never be able to know how she felt about him.

It was then, that a small voice in her head, a voice she had kept quiet for years, spoke up. _"You can't wait anymore. You have to take the initiative."_

"_But what if he doesn't like me?"_

"_Are you kidding? Look at the boy, he needs something, anything. He needs this, so quit stuttering and do something."_

It was at this point, pressured by not only the voice in her head, but by the frowning and emotionally dead boy before her and his leaving looming in the near future, that she did something that shocked herself.

She grabbed his hand.

Suddenly, realizing what she was doing, she began to blush. She was mentally screaming to herself _"Ah! What do I do? I can't let go, that's awkward. I-I-I have to lead him somewhere! Yes, that's what I'll do! I lead him to Ichiraku's! I'll buy him Ramen! Yes that's it!"_

Her body, finally getting orders from her brain, began to pull Naruto in the general direction of Ichiraku's Ramen stand.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked, surprised by her sudden straightforwardness.

Hinata didn't turn to look at him, afraid that her beat-red face would speak more than her words. "W-we're g-g-g-going t-t-to I-I-Ichiraku's…"

"Why?"

"I-i-i-i-if t-t-t-these a-are g-g-g-going t-t-t-to b-b-b-be y-your l-l-last d-d-days i-i-in K-K-K-Konoha I-I-I'm g-g-going t-to m-m-make s-sure y-you e-enjoy t-them."

* * *

And so it came to pass, that Hinata took Naruto to do something every day of his last week in his beloved Village. Two nights before Naruto left, he was smiling again, but if you looked into his eyes, you could tell that he was greatly hurt. But the smile was some progress. Naruto came home that night, to his apartment, which was finally being left alone, and sat on his bed. "Why haven't I ever had this much fun before?" He asked out loud.

"_**Doesn't take a genius to figure that out, brat."**_ The Fox told him.

"_Shut up, Fox, I don't want your opinion."_

"_**When I get out of here, brat, I will remember your insolence, and then I will-."**_

"_Destroy all of Konoha, blah, blah, blah, Eat all of my friends, yap, yap, yap, become the ultimate evil, grouse, grouse, grouse. Just shut up."_

Deep in Naruto's consciousness, the Fox laid down on the floor of the cage. _**"I'm not **_**that**_** predictable, am I?"**_ He thought to himself.

Naruto, dressed in his newest and finest clothes, a black jumpsuit with red and orange trimmings that Hinata had bought him, and headed out for another of his few days.

* * *

The day came.

The dreaded and cursed day came. The clouds hung over the sky, ominous and foreboding, creating a dark and dreary day that reflected the mood of those gathered at the gate. Naruto stood, in his old clothes, saying teary goodbyes to all his friends and their senseis. "Lee, you were a great inspiration." Naruto said, as he held the spandex-clad ninja by the shoulder.

"And your Flames of Youth have always been a light to me." Lee said, crying.

"Lee, do me a favor."

"What?"

"Don't cry, I don't want my last memory of my friends to be filled with tears."

Lee put on a strong face. "I will give you your wish, Naruto, or I will run two thousand laps around Konoha, blindfolded."

"I know you will." Naruto said, before turning to another of his friends, "Shikamaru, It was great knowing you."

"You weren't too troublesome." The Nara mumbled, to which Ino slapped him up back the head.

"Is that all you have to say to him?"

Shikamaru grumbled, before turning back to Naruto, "…Well…If you had the chance, I'm sure you would have made Hokage."

"Thanks." Naruto said.

Ino came up, "Chouji tried to make it, but he couldn't, so he left me a message. 'I glad that I had you as a friend.'"

"Tell him, I was honored to know him."

Ino nodded, before breaking into tears, "You are such a good person!"

Naruto consoled her before turning to Sakura, "Well, I was glad to know, even if you _did_ punch me every time I asked you out."

Talk about a guilt trip. Sakura broke down. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was such a baka!"

Naruto picked her up, "Hey, don't do that. Smile, you'll get what you wanted, Sasuke will eventually come back, and then you'll get him."

"Naruto…" she said through her tears.

"Hey, I want you to do me a favor." Naruto said.

"Anything."

"Become one of the greatest Kunoichi's the world has ever known."

She nodded.

Then Naruto turned to the last friend that had come to see him off. Hinata. "Hinata…thank you for the wonderful time this last week."

"Y-you're w-welcome…Naruto…"

"…You know, it's kind of sad."

"What?"

"I…I'd really like to get to know you better, but know it's too late. That's irony, huh?"

Hinata began to cry.

"Hey, hey, don't do that." Naruto said as he hugged her.

She wanted to tell him then. She wanted to say it, to yell it, to scream it to the world, but she couldn't. The words were caught in her throat, as if they were caught at a toll booth without cash. They were stuck, and could not move forward.

Naruto broke the embrace, and Hinata stood there, unable to say a thing. She would have blushed if she weren't so angry with herself.

Tsunade came up to him, "Jiraiya is waiting for you at the five mile mark." She told him, before hugging the boy. "I'm so sorry, Naruto."

"I forgive you, Baa-chan." Naruto whispered. When Tsunade broke the embrace, he turned to the forest, "Well, here I go." And so Naruto left, leaving the gate of Konoha behind him. A tear fell with each step.

The hours passed by, and the friends of Naruto began, one-by-one, to leave, tears in their eyes. Eventually, it was only Hinata and Tsunade. Hinata was crying, while Tsunade only stood, watching the road, sorry to see the boy she loved so much go.

The Godaime sighed, and turned, then she whispered,something, barely audiable to the human ear, but Hinata heard it, and it broke her heart, and drove her to anger. "Why did Hiashi have to do that?"

When he got home, Hiashi would have some explaining to do.

* * *

Naruto, walking as slowly as he possibly could, finally made to the five mile mark. There Jiraiya greeted him, "Hey, Naruto."

"Hey Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto said, dead to the world.

"Naruto, I know that you loved Konoha with all of your might, but it's time to let go."

"I can never let go." Naruto replied.

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "You're just like your dad."

Naruto looked up at him, "You knew my dad?"

Jiraiya nodded, "You're mom too."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I couldn't until you became a chuunin, it's been a law since you were born. You're dad just had too many enemies, so you were given you're mom's maiden name to protect you, but because of some new events, the law is null and void."

"So who were my parents?"

"Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, and Namikaze Uzumaki Kushina, the Last Uzu nin."

"My dad was the forth Hokage?"

"Yes, he was, and he loved you, Naruto. But, please don't take my word for it. Listen to what they told you."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked confused.

"I'm talking about this." Jiraiya said, pulling out a black wooden box. "This box holds your inheritance, their most prized possessions, to be given to you."

Naruto took the box, showing emotion for the first time he left Konoha. He looked at the box, the at Jiraiya, then the box, then Jiraiya. Then he smiled. "Thanks, Ero-sennin." He said, before taking the box and his small bag of belongings into the woods.

* * *

The clan leader members of the council were in an uproar. The civilian members had had the audacity to suggest this day as a holiday, and the Clan members wanted to smack the civilians upside the head. "How dare you suggest today as a day of celebration! This is a sad day for Konoha, a young boy was thrown out because of biased fear." Tsume yelled, this was accompanied by three other arguments pertain to the same idea.

Tsunade called for order. "Despite what you may believe, I did not call this council meeting to discuss holidays. I called because a much more important issue had come up. Naruto's Heritage."

Immediately the civilian members laughed, "What heritage?"

Danzou stood up, "Hokage-sama, Naruto was an orphan, he has no heritage."

Tsunade smiled, "This only proves to me that Sandaime didn't trust you at all, Danzou, because Naruto _does_ have a heritage, and it is beyond that of anyone here."

"What? Is Naruto an Uchiha?" Danzou asked mockingly, and several laughs erupted from the civilian members.

"What Naruto is puts the Uchihas to shame." A voice said, they all turned to the source of it to see Jiraiya, back from his meeting with Naruto. "In fact, Naruto belongs to a clan so great, that even the last member of the clan was held in the highest honor."

"Who could that be, hm? Jiraiya-san?" Danzou said, sarcasm dripping form the question.

Jiraiya smiled, "Naruto belongs to the Namikaze line, the line of Yondaime Hokage."

There was instant silence.

"Naruto was the son of the greatest ninja in the world, and you have exiled thie heir to the greatest clan in the world."

Silence.

Hiashi stood up, "Na-Naruto…was M-Minato's…son?" shock was written all over his face.

Jiraiya looked at him. "He was."

Hiashi stood there, stunned. He slowly looked down to his hands, as if they were covered in blood, "Wh-what have I done?" He looked at the council, and then ran down the hallway. All the way he was screaming, "What have I done!?"

* * *

Hiashi sat in his office, a thousand pictures of him and the Yondaime hung on the walls. Normally, he would look at the pictures and feel Mianto's eyes smiling down on him, but today those same eyes looked cold, as if saying, "You forced my son into the wild? And I called you my friend." A thousand pair of eyes glared down at him from a thousand pictures. Hiashi couldn't even bring himself to look at them.

"Minato, I am so sorry." He whispered, before downing a cup of sake.

Suddenly, a Hyuuga guard came in, running up to his desk, "Hiashi-sama, Hinata…" The guard began, before hesitating.

"What about her?"

"She's…she's gone into a rampage, sir."

Hiashi swiveled his chair to face the guard, "Are we talking about the same Hinata?"

"She…she seems to be angry about your vote for sending away the demon."

As soon as he said the word demon, Hiashi slapped him, "Never call Naruto that again, do you understand!?"

The guard looked shocked at Hiashi's sudden outburst.

"As far as I am concerned, that vote was the single-most stupidest thing I have ever done in my life! I will not have that boy hurt by the Hyuuga clan further by disrespecting his name! are we clear!?"

The guard nodded.

"Good, spread the word, and bring my daughter to me."

The man nodded then left.

Hiashi sat in the silence, the pictures of Minato accusing him with their cold eyes.

The door opened again, and Hinata walked in, she was slightly afraid, but he anger would not keep her from doing this. "It's your fault!" she cried upon entering. "It's your fault he's gone! You hated him! This whole Village hated him! Sure, he pulled a couple of pranks, but what did he do that was worthy of Exiling him from his home?" She cried, tears began streaming down her face. "He was a good person, and you treated him like dirt! What is wrong with you people!? Why did you have to send him away!? Why did you have to send him away? Don't you know that I loved him? Is that why you did it? Because I loved him?" She broke down right there, weeping her eyes out. She knelt there and cried, sobbing at the memory of the boy she had loved.

Then, a strong hand came on her shoulder, and she looked up into her father's eyes. "Hinata…Hinata I'm sorry. I was a fool. An utter fool. I have no right to ask for forgiveness for my action. I was the one who was weak, because I fell into the trap of lies other had told of him, I was the weakling, not you. You saw the truth, the truth that I was blind to. Hinata, I'm so sorry." He hugged her daughter, and together the wept into the night.

* * *

Third story to bein the race of completion.

See you guys soon!


	2. Chapter 2

All OCs belong to me.

* * *

_Four years later._

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. There was just too much that happened in the last four years. Gaara became Kazekage, then quit because the Suna council wouldn't let him threaten Konoha with war to get Naruto back, Jinchuurikis were disappearing, Iwa was getting restless, and most of the Konoha nins were still upset about Naruto's leaving. The worst of them was Hinata and Hiashi. Hiashi spent most of his time secluded in his office, or making sure that the Hyuuga clan would respect the memory of Naruto Namikaze, even if it killed him. Hinata had become melancholy and grim. She barely smiled, or talked; she only stared sadly and nodded. Not many people could make her smile anymore. And Naruto…

Tsunade sighed and hung her head.

For all she knew, Naruto had been dead these last four years. Two weeks after he had left, Danzou had sent some Root ANBU after him, and when she tried to stop them, Danzou said that she no longer had any authority over the boy and that, by law, it wasn't under her jurisdiction. That day, she helplessly watched Root ANBU jump into the forest.

The only relief she had from her problems was this 'Outcast' who had mysteriously shown up three years ago. When she first heard of him, she thought this guy would be trouble. Only to be surprised, when a tall, brown haired gentlemen showed up at the gate of Konoha with an Iwa spy tied up behind him. "It is a sign of trust from the Outcast to you, Hokage-sama." He had said. "Trust that you will not seek him out."

But now even the Outcast was a problem in itself. News of him spread quickly and immediately, Iwa was calling for his execution. _"Probably to keep themselves from being incriminated further."_ Tsunade thought grimly. Not only that, but some of the ninjas who desperately wanted Naruto to come back, were now threatening to leave the village and join the Outcast, whomever he may be.

She sighed and grabbed a hidden Sake bottle, and was about to drink when a brown-haired man, about six feet tall, with green eyes, and a Mist headband with a circle in the center of it, opened the door to her office and came in. Tsunade instantly recognized the circle in the middle of the head-band, as the "Mark of the Exiled". Signifying that, while he would still protect his village, his loyalties were to the Outcast first.

"Hello, Vara, does the Outcast bring me another 'gift'?"

The ex-mist nin smiled. "No, he brings three." He said, reaching to a leather bag.

"Well, unless he can make my problems with Iwa disappear, I'm not interested."

Vara smiled bigger, and pulled out a square that curved inward, so it could sit on someone's head.

Tsunade instantly spat out the sake in her mouth in the perfect spit-take. "I-i-i-i-i-i-is t-t-t-t-t-t-t-that t-th-th-th-the…?" she stammered.

Vara nodded, smiling.

Tsunade began to search her desk for her intercom. The problem was she wouldn't take her eyes off the hat that Vara held in his hand, so consequently, she fumbled through the items on her desk, scattering papers and other miscellaneous junk. Finally she found the button, "Sh-Shizune, come here please."

A minute later, Shizune entered. She stepped up to the desk, concerned about both Tsunade's tone of voice, and the look on her face. "What is it, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade pointed at the hat in Vara's hands. "Is that what I think it is?"

Shizune looked at the hat, noticing it for the first time, and then promptly fainted.

"That's what I thought." Tsunade said.

In Vara's hands was the hat of the Tsuchikage.

* * *

When everyone had calmed down, or at least enough to breath normally, Vara left the hat along with three letters with Tsunade.

The first one was from the Tsuchikage. It read "I write to you, a humbled, and beaten man. The Outcast, who has threatened my spy network, has overthrown my power. He has proven to be an excellent ninja, commander, and warrior, of which in all of Iwa, there is no match. In exchange for my life, he has had me swear my loyalty to Konoha. So I am writing to tell you that everything that I have at your disposal. The Outcast has been honorable in his justice, so I will be with my oath.

"Two weeks from Tuesday, I will come to Konoha to swear my oath of loyalty publicly. I will also be accompanied by twelve Iwa nins that will immediately be under your command.

"I also want to warn you, some of my ninjas, despising that Iwa has become a part of Konoha, have deserted, and will probably kill any Konoha nins they find. But, as long as you have the Outcast defending your borders, you will not have much to worry about.

"Yours truly, the ex-Yondaime Tsuchikage."

Tsunade stared at the letter for a long time. Wondering how an "Outcast" could make a whole hidden village fall.

She put those thoughts aside and opened the second letter, this one read, "To the Hokage, and the Daimyou of the Fire country.

"Greetings. I am the Earth country Daimyou. I have written to you to say that, in view of Iwagakure's recent fall that I have decided that the land is not worth what it once was. So, I will give Earth country to Fire country, in exchange that I be made governor. Iwa will also go to Konoha as a second city.

"Yours truly, the Daimyou of Earth contry.

"P.S. a copy of this letter has already been sent to the other receiver."

Tsunade put that letter down, and then moved to the last one. It only had one sentence written on it. "You owe me, Hokage-sama." It was sighed with a circle, the Mark of the Exiled.

She put the letter down, and looked out her window, still bewildered by the news that had just come to her.

The Outcast had taken a Hidden Village.

This left her with a question in her mind that would not go away.

What else could he do?

* * *

Vara walked into a medium sized office, and bowed. A large, red-leather, swivel chair turned to him.

"How did it go?" The man in the chair asked.

"You were right about the look on her face." Vara said, smiling.

"Anything else?" he asked, laughing

"Oh, yeah, the secretary, Shizune, she fainted."

"Doesn't surprise me." His tone got serious, "How are those at the hospital?"

"Endu died in mid-operation, Ayaophan is now stable, Ondu is now recovering, Donuundi died of blood loss, Airaoryn is on his way to recovery, and Niligol is causing trouble by wanting to get out and do something. Those with minor scrapes have been patched up, and we have buried all of our dead."

"Thank you, Vara." He said. "You may go."

"Yes, Outcast-san."

Vara left, and the man in the chair sighed. Then he began to cry.

He cried for those who died. He cried for those that felt the sorrow of loss. He cried for those who were feeling pain. He cried for himself.

He cried because he could not go home.

He cried because he couldn't see his friends.

* * *

The Tsuchikage's oath ceremony went by without a hitch. The Iwa nins were on their best behavior, the Konoha nins were equally as behaved, and the Tsuchikage made a great deal of humbling himself. When he had done so, Tsunade told him that he was still the leader of Iwa, he simply had to answer to Tsunade. When he heard this, the Tsuchikage was delighted.

It all went by so fast for Hinata.

She didn't care about the Tsuchikage, she didn't care about Iwa, she didn't even care for Konoha. She only cared about three things. Her friends, getting stronger to protect those friends, and Naruto.

That boy had haunted her thoughts these past four years, throwing memories at her that made her all the more sad that he was gone; sometimes to the point where she would cry herself to sleep. She missed him. The thought of leaving the village to go after him crossed her mind for the millionth time that week, and she pushed it down again, knowing that finding him, when he could be anywhere in the entire world would be nearly impossible. Then the thought of him being dead crossed her mind, and this only pushed her further into her depression.

She sighed. Her large, lavender eyes filling with tears. She looked out into the crowd, and found the smiling faces of a hundred people. _"How can they be happy?"_ she thought venomously, _"How can they even live with themselves, knowing that they sent the Namikaze heir into the wild? How can they smile when a boy's life is on their conscience? How can they laugh, knowing that the boy who would have become the world's greatest ninja was thrown out because of them? They're Monsters, that's why."_ Hinata turned, tears flowing down her cheeks, and she left.

She was caught in a village of Monsters.

* * *

Sakura sighed. She had grown since her Genin days, she was now a Jounin, feared for her strength, which was second only to Tsunade.

It was the day after the Tsuchikage's oath, and she still wanted nothing more but for Naruto to be back. Especially since her two replacement teammates was a penis-obsessed ANBU, and a Wood user; both of whom continually got o her nerves, and neither of them had the guts to stand up for themselves.

_"Oh, great, Speak of the Devil…"_ she thought, as a pale thin man came up.

"Hello, Sakura." He said.

"Hey, Sai."

"How are you doing?"

"Alright."

"You know, this 'Outcast' person amazes me."

"Really, why?"

Sai looked at her, "He _did_ take out a whole Hidden Village."

`"Well, you do have a point." Sakura admitted.

"He must have a VIP." Sai said.

"What are you talking about, 'VIP'?" a voice said from the nearby trees, it was Yamato, the Wood user. He jumped down into the field where they both stood.

"A 'Very Impressive Penis'." Sai said simply. Sai suddenly went flying as Sakura caught him in the chin.

Sakura turned to Yamato. "One word, I swear, one word, and your next."

Yamato nodded, and zipped his mouth shut.

Sakura sighed, she wanted Naruto back, just so she could get rid of one of these idiots.

Preferably Sai.

* * *

Tsunade called Team eight to the Hokage tower. Hinata walked in, looking as sad as usual. Kiba stood next to her, trying his best to make her smile. Shino remained impassive, but inside, he was frantically concerned for his teammate.

"I have a B-rank mission for you. I need you to go into Iwa territory, and search for some missing nins that the Tsuchikage reported to me. These missing nins are low- to mid-chuunin and should prove to be little challenge, but they are known for their excellent teamwork abilities, and their skill in sword techniques. Here," she said, holding up a dossier, "are their names, appearances, and know jutsus. Please be careful, and good luck." She handed the dossier to Kiba and team eight left, without a word.

* * *

His name was Shibito Ishi (stone). He was tall, with brown hair and cold blue eyes. He wore an Iwa headband with a line through it. He hated his village now. Once they turned into allies of those Konoha fools, it was no longer worthy of his loyalty. His teammates and brothers, Katai (hard) and Jemu (gem), thought the same. Now, they only wanted one thing.

Revenge on Konoha.

They stood outside the great forest. Staring at the warning the Outcast left.

They were unimpressed.

"Let's go." Ishi said.

The three Shibitos entered the forest.

They were looking for blood.

* * *

The team jumped through the forest, moving as quickly as they could. Hinata was using her Byakugan to check the surrounding area, but she never said a word. Shino was silent also, logically thinking that conversation could give them away. Kiba learned after the first year of Naruto's exile that starting a conversation was useless, so he tried his best to bear the quiet.

The silence was deafening.

Kiba couldn't stand it and finally spoke. "Hinata, do you see anything?"

"I'll tell you when I do." She said. With Naruto out of her life, her stutter disappeared, but instead of encouraging her, it was a burning reminder that Naruto was gone.

Kiba, still desperate for conversation asked "So how's Neji?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

Silence reigned.

When the sun began to set, they made camp.

Kiba stared at the night sky, watching the stars shine, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The uneasiness made it hard for him to sleep, but after several hours, he went to sleep, Akamaru next to him.

Shino was sleeping peacefully; a buzz sounded from him as the nocturnal bugs under his skin began to stir.

Hinata lay in her bag. Awake. She was thinking of the boy that forever haunted her thoughts. His foxy smile burned onto the forefront of her mind. Finally, long after midnight, she cried herself to sleep, where she dreamed of someone holding her and comforting her.

The next morning, she woke to the crushing realization that her dream had been just a dream.

* * *

After packing up camp, team eight began their jump/run to the newly acquired Iwa territory.

They continued to the border of the forest, and the fire territory, as it was now called, when Hinata noticed something. "There's something up ahead."

"What is it?" Kiba asked as he slowed to a stop.

"It looks like a marker of some kind, but I can't tell; it's just out of focus."

Shino spoke up, "Alright, Hinata, shut down your Byakugan, we need you to conserve chakra. Kiba, use your nose to keep a look out."

They slowly made their way forward, watching for anything that could happen to them. Finally they came to the item in question.

It was a hardwood staff with four sun-bleached skulls hanging on it. Each skull had a "N" scratched into the forehead. Beneath the skulls was a sign, it read, "Enemies of Konoha, you have been warned."

The three of them stood in front of the staff, wondering whether this was a good sign or a bad sign. Finally, Kiba spoke up, "I've heard that the Outcast does this."

"What?" Hinata asked.

"Marks the foreheads of his victims with a 'N'."

"They all are marked with 'N's." Shino said.

"What do you mean by all of them?" Kiba asked.

Shino only pointed to the tress ahead of them.

Kiba and Hinata both looked at the trees, and then they saw it. Hundreds of heads hung form a hundred braches, each bearing the N of death. Some of them were sun bleached skulls, while others were fresh Iwa nin heads, beginning to slowly rot in the hot sun.

"Woah." Kiba said.

'Nough said.

* * *

_One week later._

Team eight had searched high and low in all of Iwa territory, and found nothing. There was no sign of the Shibito brothers anywhere. Now they stood at the Outcast's warning, again awed by the number of heads he had collected.

After staring at the heads for a while, they made their way back home.

Again they made their way in silence, which was slowly killing Kiba. It seemed like an eternity had passed before the sun set and they had to make camp, where Kiba found some relief because of his teammates asking for jobs, tent pegs, sleeping bags, etc.

They quickly settled in for the night. Shino fell directly asleep, then Kiba, and finally Hinata, who cried herself to a dreamless sleep.

A full moon shone throughout the night, giving the forest a pale glow to it, until a cloud slowly crept by and hid the moon's pale face, bringing the stars out and darkening the night.

Hinata woke for a brief second, and stared at the stars above her. They seemed to smile at her, and they reminded her of Naruto. She hated them for that. But she loved them for it at the same time.

She wanted to forget, but she didn't want to forget.

She glared up at the cursed stars, thankful. She stared at them with her two liquid, lavender orbs, trying to stop the nostalgia that she wanted to come. Then suddenly, she felt a stabbing pain to the back of her head.

One thought ran through her mind, dispelling the star's blessed curse. _"We're being attacked!"_

Then everything faded to black.

* * *

"Wake up, _princess._" She heard the sarcastic voice, before a pain flashed across her cheek.

Slowly her eye opened, and she saw a man standing in front of her. Her mind instantly recalled his face, this was Shibito Katai, one of the Shibito brothers they were hunting. Her mind also registered that Kiba and Shino were tied up, and Akamaru was unconscious.

Katai turned, "The whore is finally awake."

"Great, now we're going to have some real fun." Another said, Hinata recognized him to be Jemu. He stood taller than Katai, and had a sword at his side. Jemu grabbed her cheeks, forcing her lips to form a bent 'O'. "Such a pretty face." He commented, "If you want it to stay that way, I suggest you start obeying me."

Hinata spat at him, her saliva landing in his eyes.

"Ah! You B****!" He cried taking out his sword.

A hand caught Jemu's. It was his other brother, Ishi. "Calm down, your revenge will be sweeter if your collected enough to make it last."

Jemu smiled maliciously. "Your right, forgive me." He said as he then lowered his sword to Hinata's arm. "But I still want whore."

Suddenly, there was a soft sound. Like wind moving through the trees, the Missing nins heard it and went on guard. They turned to where the sound came from, swords drawn. Then they saw it, a white ball rolling towards them, it was small, about three times the size of a fist. Then it slowed to a stop. It was a skull, staring at the Shibito brothers with its black sockets. A "N" was scratched into its forehead.

A soft voice echoed through the clearing "You were warned."

The Ex-Iwa nins instantly went on guard, backing up to the center of the clearing. Suddenly, twigs began to crack just out of sight. Voices seemed to echo all around the clearing. It seemed like he was everywhere but nowhere at once. Then there was silence.

Jemu spoke up, quietly, "I-I've heard that the Outcast is the ghost of Yondaime Hokage himself."

"Shut up, Jemu." Ishi told him.

"I've heard that he is the spirit of the wind, taking vengeance on all who attack those who live in his sacred trees." Katai whispered.

"Shut up! The both of you. The Outcast is a man who will bleed and die. And I will prove this day." He said glaring into the forest. "Understand, Jemu?"

No answer.

"J-Jemu?" Katai whispered, looking to where his brother was standing.

Nothing.

"Jemu?!" Ishi called his name. "Jemu!" He cried frantically. They began searching for him, but never leaving each other's backs, fearing that they would be next if they were but a centimeter apart.

Suddenly, the sound of breaking twigs sounded above. They both looked up, just in time to see a black shape fall through the canopy of the trees. They both ran from underneath it, just escaping getting hit by it.

Both brothers stared in shock as the saw what fell. It was Jemu, his throat was slit, his face was twisted in utter terror, and his once clear blue eyes were clouded over in death. On his forehead was the grisly "N" of death, written in skin and blood.

Terror washed over the last two brothers, until Katai couldn't take it. "I'm getting out of here!" He ran for the tree line.

"No! Katai! You'll only be killed! Don't leave me!" Ishi yelled into the darkness. But it was too late, Katai was gone into the darkness.

Ishi backed up to a tree, looking for anything to guard his back against, his sword shook as his hands trembled in fear.

Then he heard it, that soft sound of something rolling in the grass. He looked to where the sound was coming from. It was a round object, black and unrecognizable in the darkness.

Then he saw _him_. A white coat with red flames that seemed to lick at its hem came out of the darkness. Then he saw the green armored legs. Each plate having a red swirl mark on its center. Then came his chest. A green chest plate that bore only an "N" as a mark of who it was. Then the head came into visibility. It was hooded and masked, leaving only his two piercing cold eyes uncovered. His headband had the swirl mark that was on his armor.

He stood, staring at the man who was quailing at his presence. He then looked at the black round object that had been rolling in the grass, and picked it up. The man stared at it, before taking out a kunai and making three quick slashes against the black ball.

He returned his attention to the man and threw the ball at his feet.

It was then that Ishi recognized it. It was Katai's head. His blue eyes were clouded over, and his mouth was twisted in a silent scream of pure terror. His headband was gone, and in its place was the grisly "N" of Death. Ishi looked up at the man who stood before him. "What are you?"

Then the man spoke. "I am the forgiving exile, I am the loved Pariah, I am the scapegoat that has found a spring in the desert."

"Who are you?" Ishi asked.

"I am the Outcast." Then he took a step forward. "And you better get running."

Ishi broke for the tree line, and daring to look back, saw that the Outcast had transformed. He was now a wolf, nipping at his heels with black fangs. "Keep running." It said, "Run or I'll catch you." Ishi ran faster, the Outcast wolf nipping at his heels, pushing him to run faster. He ran, and ran, and was never heard from again.

* * *

The Outcast stood in the clearing that Ishi just left, before turning to the Konoha nins. Hinata shied away as he approached her, but was surprised when he did not hurt her, but instead freed her. "I am sorry you had to see that." He said to her, before releasing Kiba and the still-unconscious Shino and Akamaru.

"What are you?" Kiba asked.

"A friend to all who bear the Headband of Konoha." He said, before turning to the tree line. "I have sent a dispatch to some of my men, they will escort you home. They will be here in roughly ten minutes." Then he stepped into the darkness of the trees and disappeared.

Ten minutes later, three men came into the clearing. Hinata and Kiba were tending to Shino and Akamaru respectively when one of them approached.

She was of medium height, blond hair, green eyes, and bore a Kusa headband with a circle in its center. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" She asked.

"No, he will be fine." Hinata said, "He just needs to rest."

A brown haired, blue eyed man with a mist headband bearing the Mark of the Exile came up to her, "Then we shall keep watch as you rest. Go to sleep now."

Kiba then spoke up. "Thank you, I am Inuzuka Kiba, that is Hyuuga Hinata, and that is Aburme Shino. We are greatly in debt to you."

"It is no problem, I am Vara, this is Ula." He said, pointing to the green eyed blond. "And this is Girinel." He said, pointing to a large man, he had small black eyes, black hair, and he wore a Taki headband with the Mark of the Exile. "Now, take a good night's rest, we will watch over you and guide you back home in the morning."

* * *

Team eight approached the great wall of Konoha. As soon as they were within a half a mile of the wall, Ula and Girinel left, leaving Vara to take the team the rest of the way. As soon as they were close enough the guards stopped them for the usual questioning.

They checked out and the guards stepped aside. "You may go in."

Suddenly Vara stood in Hinata's way. "Unfortunately, she can't."

Instantly the guards, Shino and Kiba got into a fighting position. "What are you saying?"

Vara suddenly pulled out a small rag and pressed it over Hinata's mouth and nose. She quickly fell unconscious. "I'm saying to tell the Hoakge that if she wants Miss Hyuuga back home, she will meet with the Outcast five miles north of the Village."

"Let her go!" Kiba yelled, about to attack.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt her, just be sure you deliver my message."

Then before anyone could move, he and Hinata were gone.

* * *

Next, The Haven of the Exiles.


	3. Chapter 3

She felt dizzy.

She opened one of her eyes, and the world tipped like it was drunk. She closed her eye, and lay there for a while. The dizziness began to pass, and after a while she sat up, her eyes still close. She tipped a little, but quickly steadied herself.

She opened her eyes and found that she was in a tree. Except that the tree had smooth boards over every branch, creating a walkway for people to walk around. She sat up and held her head, wondering why she was here.

Suddenly a voice rang out, it was rather close by and it was especially loud. "YOU DID WHAT!?"

Then she heard a voice that sounded familiar. "Look, you deserve this, really you do. You need Tsunade to talk with you."

"That doesn't mean kidnap the Hyuuga Heiress!"

Hinata suddenly remembered why she was here.

"She is the closest thing Konoha has to a princess, and you kidnap her?" The first voice said, loudly.

"It needed to be someone the Hokage would care about, otherwise she wouldn't do anything about it."

"Look, you baka, do I have to spell this out for you? We, no YOU, have kidnapped the heiress of the most important clan in Konoha, excluding the Uchihas. Do you know what this means for us? For the Haven? We might as well hang ourselves now, save Konoha the trouble."

"I still think you put too much trust in Konoha's ninjas and their tracking abilities."

"They don't have to use their abilities, we are living in their BACKYARD."

"Alright, alright, I'll take her to the meeting place and turn her over, I'll explain everything."

"I just hope she's not awake yet, otherwise we'd owe her an apology."

Then a Brown haired man with red eyes came around the trunk of the tree to Hinata's right, he wore a mist headband with the mark of the exile. "Oh, man." He said.

"Let me guess, she's awake?" the first voice said.

"Yeah, she is." The brown haired man said.

"Send her in."

"Yes sir," He said to the first voice, "if you will please follow me." Vara said to Hinata.

She looked at him, confused. "Weren't your eyes blue before?"

"Yes but I'll get to that later, but now the Outcast would like to see you." Vara said, before leading her around the trunk to a small building that hung between two branches. It had three windows and a small scarlet cloth curtain for a door. Vara pulled back the door and led her in. It took a second for her eye to adjust to the darkness, when they did she found that the room was simply decorated with only a table, a bookshelf and a desk as furniture, but the room itself was rather impressively made, complete with a stair case that led to a second floor.

Then she noticed the red leather swivel chair behind the desk, and the numerous yellow spikes of hair the peeped over the top of it. The chair swiveled towards her, and she saw a face that she had only seen in dreams for the last four years.

"Hey, Hinata." Naruto said, "Long time no see, huh?"

"Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-…" Was all she could say before fainting.

Naruto sighed, "Back to the old routine I see."

After getting Hinata to wake up, Nartuo formely apologized for Vara minor insurrection, and asked for forgiveness. She readily gave it before bombarding the boy with questions. "Where are we? Where did you get that coat? Was that warning at the forest all you? How did you grow so tall? Why are you protecting Konoha? Why did you take Iwa?..." And the questions just seemed to never stop.

"Hinata," Naruto interrupted, "I will explain everything in due time. I will however answer your first question. Come with me." He went to the stair case, and led her up the stairs to a small bedroom, he went past the simple bed and led her to a balcony. "This is my new home, the Haven of Exiles."

The sight left Hinata gasping for breath. They were in a forest, where hundreds of homes sat in the trees. The forest floor was filled with packed-dirt streets, where a thousand shops lined the sides. A hundred villagers, ranging from five-year-old kids to forty-year-olds, walked the streets. In the distance, Hinata could make out a blue lake that surrounded the whole village.

"We have everything here, from Jinchuurikis to exiled bloodlines, we have wood users, gem users, lava users ice users, in fact, the only this we don't have is…I forgot…Hey Vara," He said as he turned back into the office, "What was that we don't have?"

"That would be arrogant jerks, Outcast-san."

"Oh right."

"You have Jinchuurikis?" Hinata asked.

"Oh, sure we do, we have all nine of the biju."

"But Yondaime killed Kyuubi."

Naruto looked at her, suddenly very uncomfortable. "…Eight…I meant eight…" he said as he turned to the window. "Nice view though, huh?" Naruto asked, "It's no Konoha, but…"

"It's amazing." Hinata agreed, deciding to ignore his body-language from her previous comment.

"Well, I guess. Oh, um, is there anything you need before we start getting you back home?"

Hinata's heart sank. Going back, and leaving again…The thought reached her face, and she made no move to hide it.

"Look, in all honesty, I would love for you to stay, but that would put us on some bad terms with Konoha. I know your dad's an idiot and all, but he can't be so bad that'd you hate to go back."

"It's not my dad." She said.

"Really? What is it then?"

She looked at him, he was asking what was it that made Konoha the empty hallow shell of a village it had become. He was asking her why she hated that place. Why it had become a cold and lonely place. How could he not realize that it was him, without him, Konoha was like any other village, cold and careless. "Nothing." She said.

Naruto figured she didn't want to talk about it. "Well, you could stay for a little bit, Vara was stupid enough not to give a specific time…anyway, is there anything I could get you while you're staying?"

Hinata sighed and held her arm, "Well, I was just coming back from a week long mission, and I was hoping to take a shower when I got home…"

"Not another word." Naruto said, before snapping his fingers. Suddenly a young lady appeared, she had deep green eyes and black hair. But her most outstanding features by far were the two cat ears that stood on top of her head, and the long tail. "Felicia, I want you to take Hinata here to the Bathhouse, make sure she gets the best soak she's had in her life, then I want you to get her a meal made by the Rutsubos (pots (AN: you'll see why later)) When she's done bring her back up here. Be sure to answer any of her questions and treat her with the respect you'd give any Exile."

"Yes, sir, Outcast-sama." Felicia said bowing, "Come along Miss Hyuuga." She said, leaving the Balcony.

"I'll see you later, Hinata, but now I've got some work to do, talk to you later." Naruto said, before jumping off into the trees.

* * *

Felicia led Hinata down a long staircase to the street, where a hundred cold stares met her. Everyone from forty-year-old men to six-year-olds holding their mother's hand. She felt alienated, and hated.

She quickly caught up with Felicia. "Wh-why are they looking at me like that?" She asked the cat woman.

"Because you're an insider, those who are accepted by the village that hate us, and normally hate us also." She said, "But they should know better." She said before turning to the crowd. "Yeah, that's not at all hypocritical, glare at the insider! Show her what it's like! The whole point of being an Exile is to love the village you came from despite its stupid mistake!" She yelled at them, and some quickly looked away, ashamed. Others reluctantly diveted their eyes. "Tremes." Felicia whispered under her breath. "Sorry about that, some people just can't let things go, you know?"

Hinata nodded and continued on her way to the bath house.

* * *

She came out feeling as fresh as a spring flower. The bath houses had every kind of soap, shampoo, and towel you could think of. She felt amazing after coming out of there.

Felicia was waiting for her, her tail swishing in the air, making some men nearby faint from blood-loss through the nose. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"You're about to have a meal from an outcast clan whose bloodline ability allows them to cook the best food this side of the earth."

"Is that the Rutsubos Naruto-kun mentioned?"

"Naruto-kun?" Felicia said smiling, "I wasn't aware he had a girlfriend."

Hinata suddenly blushed a deep shade of red, "No, no it wasn't like that!"

"Suuuurrrrrreeeee it wasn't."

Hinata blush went deeper. "No! Honest, we were just friends!"

"Yes, but the question is, did you want it that way?"

Hinata got real quiet. "Well…n-not really…I've-I've always admired him because he would never give up, and…that admiration grew stronger until it became something different…" She hung her head, "but I could never tell him that…I could never have the courage against rejection."

Felicia smiled gently, "I've felt that exact way." Hinata looked up at her, "In fact, everyone in this village has felt that."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"We're Exiles, outcasts, nobodies, all of us have been thrown out of our homes because we've been rejected. Those hurts have followed us all our lives. But it has taught us all one very important thing."

"What?" Hinata asked.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Felicia said simply.

Hinata blinked.

"Look, think about it, if he rejects you, then you can finally find someone to fix your broken heart, if he loves you, then you will be one of the happiest people alive. Simple as that."

"But-."

"No but's now let's get you your lunch." Felicia said, grabbing Hinata's hand and leading her to the "Rutsubo's Feeding Hole".

* * *

Hinata came out of the restaurant stuffed. How any Village could kick out a clan like that, she'd never know. There was however, one problem with them: The words "Too Much" were not in their vocabulary, and they insisted on five course meals.

"Thank you, so much, Rutsubos, the meal was to die for." Felicia said, thanking them.

"No problem at all, Felicia." The head cook said, "But I do have one question."

"What?"

"Does she not like the food?" he whispered, pointing to Hinata.

"Oh no, she loved, but she had a very big breakfast this morning," Felicia lied, "she asks for your forgiveness."

The head cook thought about it, "Very well, since she did not know about us, I will let this one go."

"And she thanks you." Felicia said, before backing out the door. She turned to Hinata, "Think you can walk a straight line?"

"I'm not sure, my stomach's extra weight is throwing my balance off."

"Yeah, the first meal normally does that to you."

* * *

Felicia somehow led Hinata back to Naruto's office/house. Upon arrival, Naruto appeared, thanked Felicia, and then snapped for Vara and Ula, who both got there in less than a second. Vara's eyes were now a dark shade of blue that was almost black. "Vara, Ula, come with me, I can't show myself at the meeting place without risking my head, so you two are going to deliver her. I however, owe Hinata a little more time together, we are friends after all. So lets move."

"Yes, Outcast-sama."

"Meet us at the ferry in twenty minutes." Naruto ordered.

"Yes, Outcast-sama." They said before disappearing.

"Well, Hinata, I'm going to answer another question for you, My dad was the Yondaime,"

"Yeah… I know that."

"You did?"

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama told the council, and the council told us…"

"Oh…Well did you know he left stuff for me?"

"Like what?"

"Like the coat and the Hirashin no Jutsu."

"You mean the jutsu that is soo fast the Sharingan can't even copy it?" Hinata asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, but it needs a little work. Anyways, are you aware that my mom was Kushina Uzumaki, the Last Uzu Nin?"

"No…never heard of them."

"Not surprising, but anyway, Uzu was famous for their armor smithing, and when Uzu fell, my mom went into making flak jackets for Konoha, and signed them with the sign of Uzu, the swirl mark. As you could probably tell, it became rather famous." Naruto then walked over to his desk and pulled out a large box. "A couple of months before my mom got pregnant with me, she was working on some lightweight, and yet incredibly strong armor." He began pulling out a green pair of greaves, bracers, cuisses (thigh protection), and the breastplate, "She had almost finished the armor for Dad when she was put into the hospital. So she left it for me, hoping that I would grow up just like my dad." Naruto slid off the Yondaime coat, and began strapping on his armor. "Luckily, she was right." He said as he pulled the breastplate over his head. "It's a shame they left all of this to me for when I became a chuunin, this armor would have greatly helped in that fight with Sasuke." Naruto said, signing. "Oh, well, can't live in the past."

"Sorry." Hinata said.

"Oh, don't worry about it." Naruto said, smiling, "Now, I have a question for you. How are things in Konoha?"

Hinata quickly told him about the Hyuuga's trying to give Naruto an honorable memory, the Villagers being idiots, the clans being upset, the ninjas being upset, Tsuande wanting to kill people, and the overall hating of each other's guts.

"Wow…I have a serious influence on people." Naruto said as she finished her lengthy update.

"Yeah, you kinda do." Hinata said.

"Well, we better get going." Naruto said.

"Yeah, yeah we should."

Naruto smiled, "I'll race you to the ferry."

Hinata smiled, "Couldn't we walk instead?"

Naruto smiled bigger, "I guess." He said, before pulling up a mask and hood.

* * *

The ferryman paddled the boat over the lake with graceful speed. When they landed on the other side, Ula, Vara, his eyes now a light brown, Naruto, and Hinata began to walk eastward.

Not long later, Hinata spoke up, "I don't ever remember a lake like that in Konoha's forest."

"Oh, yeah…" Naruto said, "You'd probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Of course I would."

"Well…Kakashi left me a scroll of jutsu that he would have taught me...and one of them was how to create a huge amount of water."

_Flashback_

A thirteen year-old Naruto, dressed in his dad's coat, and his mom's armor and headband, was pouring over the scroll in front of him. He was currently working on the Suiton: Baku Suishouha. "Hm." He grunted as he thought, _"If I could use this right, I could actually be able to drown my opponents, while at the same time, open the possibilities of using water jutsus."_ Naruto smiled. "I'm going to have to learn this one." He said as he got up in the armor that was a little too big for him, and the coat that was a little too long.

He quickly went through the handsigns, and cried, "Suiton: Baku Suishouha!" He spat up a small puddle.

His first couple of attempts were failures, until he got fed up with it. The angrier he got, the darker the whisker marks on his face became.

Finally, he was so mad, that his face was twisted in rage, **"Suiton: Baku Suishouha!" **Suddenly, he felt a huge amount of water build up in his stomach. He opened his mouth, and a waterfall fell from his mouth. The whole plain was filled knee deep with water, but it kept coming. Naruto kept letting the water fall from his mouth until he realized that he couldn't breathe, but the water kept coming.

Before long he felt that he would pass out, the world was going black, he felt dizzy, the sounds of the forest were fading into nothingness, too. He was sure he pass out in the next couple of seconds when the water stopped coming. He stood up, still dizzy for a couple of seconds, before he sat down.

As his vision cleared and the dizziness passed, he sat up and looked at how the jutsu went. What he saw made his jaw drop.

A pristine, blue lake sat in front of him, the water sparkled as the sun reflected off of its surface.

"Woah…"

_Flashback end_

"So that's how the lake and the Island came to be." Naruto said. Ula and Hinata were staring in shock. Vara just kept walking. Naruto looked at them, "If you're having trouble believing me, I have a witness. Isn't that right, Vara?"

"You retold it almost word for word." Vara said, "You did, however forget the part where you dived into the lake looking for Kakashi's scroll."

"That part of the story wasn't necessary." Naruto whispered.

They walked in silence a little bit more, when suddenly, Naruto stopped. "This is as far as I can go without risking my life." He said, "It was great seeing you again, Hinata."

"It was great seeing you too, Naruto." Hinata said.

"Now before you go, I have something very important to tell you, don't tell anyone that I'm the Outcast."

Hinata looked at him, he was turning down recognition and respect, he would have never done that. "Why not?" she asked.

"Because you never know when Konoha may need the Outcast in her gates, and as long as I'm not Naruto, that dream could happen." He said, "But the minute I become Naruto again, I will never have a dream of entering those gates again."

Hinata's eye were filled with tears as he said that. Even after all that cursed collection of buildings and people did to him, he still loved it. He was willing to give up who he was to see again, if for only a short time. He was willing to risk death for the same people that threw him out. He was such a good person.

"Now, before you go, is there anything you want to say?"

The opportunity to tell him the truth was practically smacking her in the face. "I…" she began, trying to pull the words from her throat, "I…" the words were on the tip of tounge, mocking her in her inability to tell him. She sighed. "How can I see you again?"

Naruto smiled beneath his mask, "The minute you're outside of Konoha, I'll be watching you, Trust me, we'll meet again, as long as you have missions out of Konoha, we'll meet again." Then with that, he gave her a big hug. "It was great to see you again."

Hinata's mind froze up. _"Contact…with…Naruto…in…a…loving…manner…"_

By the time her mind had it all sorted out and finished rebooting, Naruto was already gone.

"Come on, Hyuuga-sama, we need to get you back to Konoha, the Hokage is waiting."

* * *

After the brief exchange, where Vara explained to the Hokage that there was a slight insurrection among the Outcast's ranks, and as a sign of apology, Hinata was returned without a scratch, and in better shape than before, and he would send a large supply of weapons in two days time.

Tsunade hesitantly accepted, seeing as how she had no _real_ reason to suspect the Outcast of anything.

Now, Hinata stood in her room, beating herself up over how she couldn't tell him. "Four years! Four years, and I couldn't tell him! Why couldn't I tell him? It's only three words! Three stinkin' words!" She punched the wall. "Arg! Four years and no improvement!" She said as she threw herself onto her bed. "Why didn't I improve!?"

She sat there for a long time, thinking as the newest memories of Naruto filled her mind.

Suddenly, she sat up. She blinked a couple of times as a realization hit her.

She did improve.

Her stutter was almost gone.

* * *

Next chapter, more time skip…sorry.


	4. Chapter 4

_One and a half years later._

* * *

Naruto sighed. So much could happen in one year. Their number had swollen by three score, most coming from Suna in search of their Godaime Kazekage Gaara. The rest either came from Kumo or Iwa. Part of the Tsuchikage's deal.

According to the reports from his spy network, Taki had willingly gave up some land to connect Iwa to Konoha and they now stood as the biggest country in the world, the country of Earth and Fire.

Instantly, Kumo began asking for an alliance between his country and the country of Earth and Fire. When asked what he could offer for the trade, he said he had two Jinchuuriki.

The Raikage was a liar.

Naruto knew that for a fact, simply because both Yugito and Killer Bee had joined his ranks years ago.

The Raikage was also bloodthirsty.

Both the Hokage and the Tsuchikage expressed interest in the 'Jinchuurikis' and wanted to meet them. The Raikage had his trap set perfectly; he had set up two assassins as Jinchuurikis and had them meet the two Kages in the secluded mountains of Kumo. If Naruto didn't have any Exiles in the area, they would no doubt be dead.

After the whole incident, Tsunade sent her thanks and regards, as did the Tsuchikage. Once they returned home, they had a message sent to the Raikage asking if he wanted an all-out war. The Raikage said he didn't and said that an insurrection of his power is what caused the assassination attempt. Naruto thought the same thing as the two Kages, _"Yeah right."_

"Outcast-sama?" someone said, breaking Naruto from his thoughts. He looked up to see a woman with green hair, red eyes, and carried a large red package on her back. It was Bachiatari (cursed) the Shichibi's (7-tail's) Jincuuriki. On her right arm hung a Taki headband with the ever-present Mark of the Exile. "Gaara-sama is here with the students for their field trip and Taijutsu demonstration."

Naruto stood up, "Thank you, Bachiatari, by the way, has Kouun (Good Luck) been a good husband?"

The Seven-tails container blushed, "That's hardly something you ask a newlywed."

"Aw, come on. Can't a guy fool around with his friends?" Naruto asked as he left his office and headed for the wooden steps that headed to the ground.

When he got almost all the way down, he found Gaara standing in front of a group of twenty eleven-year-olds. Some of them were asking in-depth questions about the founding of the Haven and the rest were writing notes, and for a good reason.

Gaara was the scariest teacher in the whole Haven.

Any prank pulled on his was first blocked by his sand, and then retribution was imminent. Naruto remember when Gaara held three students by their feet with Sand tentacles that stretched over some of the trees on the island.

"And that, students, is why we still are willing to protect the village we came from, even though our loyalties are to the Outcast first."

"Gaara-san!" Naruto said to him, the Sand Exile turned to Naruto and smiled.

"Outcast-san!" Gaara said.

Naruto jumped over the rail, skipping the rest of the steps. "So these are the new Exiles, are they?"

"They better hope so." Gaara said, smiling sadistically, sending chills down the spines of most of the students. "Anyways, if you can give them the usual founding stuff, that'll be good."

Naruto smiled, "Then we can move on to our spar?"

"Absolutely." Gaara said.

"Well, it all began about five years ago," Naruto said, turning to the students. "I was Naruto, a ninja of Konoha. One of my teammates, then betrayed the village and I went after him. When he defeated me, I was brought back to Konoha. I was unconscious at the time, so I didn't know what was happening in the village.

"When I woke up from my nap, the Hokage told me that the counsel was exiling me. So, to make a long story short, I left with a heavy heart. So by and by, I began to wander in the forest, training on several jutsus that my teacher left for me. One day, while practicing those jutsus, I accidently made the lake and the Island. It was this same day that I met Vara and his team. For those of you who don't know, Vara has a very rare bloodline that allows him to copy and predict another person's personality, movements, and jutsus by having his eye color match theirs; this makes him an incredible spy and warrior. His partners, Niligol, and Ondu, are twin brothers who share a powerful skill with weaponry and are know for a bloodlust-state where they are nearly unstoppable.

"They were about my age when we met, and we immediately hit it off. After some conversation, I found out that they, like myself were exiled because of a 'mistake'. So we thought about it and we began to found the Haven.

"As the years passed, and as news of the Haven spread, more and more people began to join the Haven, coming for a place to finally be accepted.

"Probably one of our main contributors is Kiri, because of their bloodline wars, all of the hidden bloodline user have come to the Haven for security. And…that's pretty much it…"

"That's it?" One of the students asked.

"Well, the Haven _is_ only four years old," Naruto said, "given time it will have a history of its own. But now for the main event." He put his hands together and mumbled, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Suddenly, another Naruto appeared, and he stood before the students, as the real Naruto and Gaara both moved away from them a bit. "Ladies and Gentlemen." The Naruto clone said, "today is an epic day, two mighty forces, two Jinchuuriki, two unstoppable powers will meet today on the battle field." The clone pointed to Gaara, "From Suna, joining the Haven four years ago, we have the ex-Godaime Kazekage, the Ichibi Jinchuuriki, Gaara the Exile!"

Many of the students cheered, to which Gaara turned and said, "You won't get extra credit for cheering for me." The cheering died down.

"And then, the Original Exile," The Naruto clone said, pointing to the real Naruto, "The founder of the Haven, the maker of a Taijutsu style that your eyes will be blessed with, the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki. The one, the only, the Outcast!" This time there were some sincere cheers.

"Thank you, thank you, you're too kind." The real Naruto said, bowing slightly.

"And now," the clone said, "The Undisputed," he said holding his left hand to Naruto, "The Undefeated," He said, holding his other hand towards Gaara. "in 3! 2! 1!" Suddenly, the clone burst into smoke as the two combatants began their fight.

Naruto slipped into a altered version of the Goken stance, holding his hands out stretched before they suddenly burst into flame. "Hoken.*" Naruto said. Gaara's sand bega to form tentacles which quickly began make their way towards Naruto. When the first one was in range, Naruto hit it, spreading his flames into the sand, turning it to clear glass. Gaara then began to move, himself. He ran in, covering his fist with sand and compressing it to make it harder. He took a swing at Naruto, who suddenly changed stances, and dodged the blow in a quick graceful motion.

The flames were gone, and in their place was two perfect sphere of water, which slowly began to elongate into two whips of water, "Mizuken.*"

Gaara attacked with his sand tentacles again, only for Naruto's graceful movements cause the whips to wrap around the sand and get it wet. Gaara's sand began to get sluggish and clumpy, now moving slower.

Naruto smiled as he then slipped into a third stance, where his left arm, facing Gaara, was bent so that his fist could almost touch his shoulder, his left leg was bent slightly, and his right limbs stood ready to use. Some of the more attentive students saw Naruto's fists turn brown. "Tsuchiken.*"

Gaara charged again, a sand-covered fist coming in to hit Naruto. The fist Naruto's bent arm, and Naruto didn't even move. Suddenly, his right hand surged forward, trying to return Gaara's blow for another. Gaara quickly dodged, knowing that a punch from this style could dent steel. For a while, they fought like that, Gaara's sand saving him from the powerful, earth-chakra punches.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped back, and drew his sword.

Gaara reacted by putting himself in a huge dome of sand. "No, Un-uh. I'm not finishing this unless you put your sword away." Gaara's muffled voice said in the dome.

"Oh, come, on Gaara, I'm testing it out for the Raiken style." Naruto said.

"I'd rather die than get caught in a sword fight with you, even though they'd probably end the same way."

Naruto mumbled, before speaking up, "Fine, I'll skip the Raiken." Naruto said, putting his sword away.

The dome of sand began to recede. "Thank you, Outcast-sama."

"Thank me later," Naruto said, before calling out the name of the last style, "Kazeken!" suddenly, blades of wind began to swirl around his outstretched arms, originating from his flat palms. Naruto suddenly seemed to become faster dodging the sand and then attacking him before retreating.

They kept going on like this for a while, before Gaara lifted his hand. "Alright, alright, enough." He said.

"Aw, but we were just getting to the fun part." Naruto said, a smile on his face. He did however, concede. "Fine. So class," Naruto said turning to the students, "Any questions?"

They all had their mouths hanging open, and their eyes were wide.

"I'll take that as a no."

* * *

Tsunade sighed.

A lot could happen in one and a half years. Hiashi was losing power in the Hyuuga clan, and the Elders were exercising their power more and more often. Danzou was pushing his 'weapons' program, and the other clans were on bad terms with the village.

Tsunade sighed, one attack would probably send Konoha into chaos that it could not recover from.

On the bright side, some things were looking up. One of them was Hinata. The girl had gone from silent and melancholy to smiling and talkative in just one day. The change had shocked everyone in Konoha, or those who cared at least. But when anyone asked her what had caused the change, she only smiled and said, "The day, I guess."

It drove people insane.

Except Kiba, who was happy to finally have a good conversation with a teammate that wasn't an animal.

Shino was also relieved, almost overcome with relief that his teammate was finally getting back to her old self, and then improving.

Tsunade's smile faded before she sighed. One small light in a sea of darkness. The Raikage wanted everything, Kiri was with him. Konoha was on the brink, and if Konoha went, then Iwa could only stand a little longer, Suna was being ruled mercilessly by a tyrant who dared call himself the Kazekage, and, if Jiraiya's spy network was correct, which it normally was, Itachi went missing, and Sasuke had joined the Atakusuki, hell-bent on burning Konoha to the ground because Itachi had managed to escape because of the Village for some reason.

She knew there was only one real hope for Konoha. But he was gone. Forced out of the village by the pigs in the council. It was a kind of poetic justice. The one who saved the village was kicked out, and now he's the only one who could save them again, and this time, he was nowhere to be found.

She hung her head over her desk, and did something she had not done in a long time.

She prayed.

"_Whoever is up there…please…please keep Naruto safe. My heart tells me he still has a part to play in this before the end."_

Somewhere, northeast of Konoha, a seventeen-year-old leader felt…safe.

* * *

Hinata hummed to herself.

A lot could happen in a year and a half. Of course, she wouldn't know, she had spent the last eighteen months training like crazy, doing nothing but improving her taijutsu, strength, endurance, and stamina.

She made herself into someone that would make Naruto proud.

She now stood, over the beaten form of her opponent, barely breaking a sweat. Her Byakugan eyes looked cold, before they warmed up and she took a medical ointment to him. She had been using katars instead of chakra for these fights. She had originally been trying to find a way to keep from hurting someone's organs and she chose to use dulled katars, the elders at first didn't approve, until they saw exactly what she could do with them, and now they wouldn't have it any other way.

A medic nin came over and quickly carried the boy away.

Hinata sighed. Sometimes she wished she had never picked those things up, but it was better than killing him with a strike that moved its way to her opponent's liver.

One of the Elders approached her, "You are doing extremely well, Hinata-sama."

"Thank you, Manobi-sama (to be stupid)." She said, bowing to him.

"I think you'll make a fine clan head one day," Hinata beamed as he said that "as long as you don't follow your father's stupid idolizing of the Namikaze demon child."

Hinata sent a very powerful Jyuuken strike to Manobi's stomach, and he fell over, doubled in pain. "Don't you ever say that about him ever again!" Hinata screamed, kicking the man in his nuts before stomping off to her room.

She sat on her bed for a while, angry as a hornet, before a gentle knock sounded on her door.

Hinata collected herself to calmness before saying, "Come in."

Her father's gentle face appeared in the doorway, "There's a message from the Hokage requesting your presence." He said with a half smile. That was all he could manage now days.

She looked at him with sorrow filling her eyes, he still could not forgive himself, and it was ripping her apart. "Thank you." She said, before standing up.

She made her way out of the compound, noticing the lack of people crossing her path, apparently, newsof what happened to Manobi's pain had spread quickly. _"Well it was his own fault."  
_She put the thought from her mind and concentrated on why the Hokage wanted to see her, she hoped it was a mission, especially one outside of the village. The Hokage had not given her a mission like that for a year now and it was killing her.

The very fact that Naruto was lurking in the forest was enough to make her go insane. She wanted to leave the village and join him, but she knew that he would be disappointed with her if she did.

She stepped into the tower and began to walk up the stairs to the Hokage's office. Tsunade sat at her desk, giving mission to her teammates when she came in. "Ah, Hinata, finally chose to join us did you?"

"Sorry, Hokage-sama, I was just thinking about something."

"Well stop it, you guys have a mission, I need some recon done one our border with Kumo, they seem to have a lot of movement going on there, and I need you guys to make sure that nothing is happening that could hinder us."

"Yes Hokage-sama." Kiba said, before Hinata pushed herself in front of him.

"When do we leave?" She asked excitedly.

Tsunade blinked at her forwardness. "You have an hour to pack-."

"Understood." Hinata said, before grabbing her partners and dragging them out the door."Come on, you slow pokes! Move!"

Tsuande watched her open door, wondering what on earth just happened.

* * *

Hinata led her team through the forest, finally happy to be under Naruto's gaze again. Finally happy to be in his forest, under his protection. She had never felt happier. Her she was safe, here she could lock out the worries of this life and relax, knowing that Naruto would protect her.

Kiba, on the other hand felt uneasy. He felt like a dangerous yet, benevolent presence was watching him. It was like a creature that could rip him apart if he got it mad, yet it chose to endure him.

Shino felt the same.

Hinata on the other hand, felt like she was ten feet off the ground. She was with Naruto.

That night, they set up camp. Hinata humming a tune to herself while Kiba remained uncharacteristically silent, and Shino was just as quiet.

Hinata quickly fell asleep, while Kiba and Shino took a while.

The next morning, Hinata woke up with a squeal. Kiba and Shino instantly went on high alert. "What!? What is it? Are we under attack?" Kiba said, as he drowsily stood up.

Hinata was kneeling on her sleeping bag. "No, no. Sorry I woke you up." Her hands were behind her back.

"So were not under attack?" Kiab asked.

"No." Hinata said.

"Good." Kiba said, before falling face down on his sleeping bag.

Hinata turned around and looked at the thing she had in her hand. It was a small necklace, with the Mark of the Exile printed on the pendant.

Naruto sat in the trees above the campsite. _"I really should tell her."_ He thought.

_

* * *

_

One week later.

Hinata felt sad.

She had not seen hide nor tail of Naruto since the first night. But she knew he was there, watching her, she could feel it, and it was exhilarating.

_"Back to the mission." _Her mind thought. _"The border was found empty, except for signs of a large battle."_ She thought as she rehearsed the speech to Tsunade.

Team began to set up camp. When Hinata felt her bladder ask for relief. "Hey, guys, I'll be right back." She said, before heading into the forest.

After relieving herself, she headed back for camp, when suddenly she heard a voice behind her. "Ask Tsunade about Kyuubi."

Hinata turned suddenly, but only found air. Hinata quickly made her way back to camp. _"That was creepy."_

What that voice said nagged at her for the whole trip.

* * *

Tsunade sat through the report, listening somewhat intently to the report. Apparently, the Outcast had beaten her to the defense of Konoha. "Thank you. You may go."

Kba and Shino went out, and Hinata headed for the door when the voice came back to her. _"Ask her."_

"Um…Tsunade-sama…?"

"Yes Hinata."

"What happened to Kyuubi?"

Tsunade's eyes went wide, but she remained silent. Should she tell her? Could she bring herself to ruin Naruto's reputation.

Hinata turned. "What happened to him, really?"

"He…he…was sealed." She said, finally giving in. "He was sealed into Naruto."

Hinata's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Naruto was to be sacrificed to the Kyuubi in order that Konoha might live." Tsunade said. "He had to become a Jinchuuriki in order to save us all, and we treated him like dirt. He was our hero, and we spat in his face. We were idiots. I'm sorry Hinata. I'm sorry."

Hinata only stared at the Hokage, before she turned and ran from the office.

* * *

He stood outside of the Village.

A lot could happen in ten and a half years.

The wind blew at his long ponytail, making it wave in the wind. His slashed Konoha headband was sporting a few new bruises.

He looked at Konoha with longing eyes, watching it carefully.

_"Who am I kidding?"_ he thought _"I can never go back. I'm an outcast, an exile. I can never go back home."_

He sighed before heading Northeast.

_"And soon I shall become a real Exile."_

* * *

I'm sorry this took so long, please forgive me. But I had a lot of work to do over the weekend.

*I realize that using the Kanji form of the word with 'ken' may or may not be the right use for it, but I don't care, it sounds cool.


	5. Chapter 5

She sat in her room and thought. She thought and she thought until she came to a conclusion, then she thought about it some more. She finally took out a pencil and some paper to get all of her thoughts organized.

She had it down to mathematics. Good was all positive integers, evil was all negative integers. Naruto was good, +. Jinchuuriki were evil, as proven by Gaara and his bloodthirstiness, -. Naruto was a Jinchuuriki, but Naruto was not evil. This threw the whole equation out. A=B, B=C, but A≠C.

So she went to the Jinchuuriki. Naruto, a positive, times Kyuubi, a negative, equals a Jinchuuriki, a negative. But, a negative times a negative equals a positive, so negative Naruto times negative Kyuubi equals a positive Jinchuuriki. This could mean that Naruto would have been evil to begin with, and Kyuubi, trying to hurt Naruto out of hatred, forced him to do good.

That was feeble at best.

She leaned back in her chair, maybe she was thinking about this too hard. So she looked at her equations for awhile before changing something. Naruto, a positive, plus Kyuubi, a negative equals a negative. Or does it? If Naruto were a stronger positive, then he could still come out positive through the equation. This would even work for Gaara. Gaara, a weak positive, plus his Biju, Shukaku if she remembered right, a strong negative, equals a negative Jinchuuriki.

Then, take Naruto, a strong positive, plus Gaara, a weak negative, equals a positive, symbolizing Gaara's change of heart.

Hinata smiled as she thought about this. This meant that Jinchuuriki's alignment on the number scale of good and evil depends on the Jinchuuriki's own good, not the evil of the Biju. So if the Biju only affected the personality by a set "number," then the Jinchuuriki's character should only be judged by the person himself, not the Biju.

So, Naruto should only be judged by his own character, and all of her experience has proven his character to be good.

_"But what if Naruto _is_ Kyuubi?"_ She looked down at the paper, before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't. A negative, Kyuubi, plus zero, the lack of Naruto's baby form's conscious, equals the same negative. Naruto couldn't be Kyuubi.

She smiled as she leaned back. Naruto was Naruto. Kyuubi was Kyuubi. They did not equal. She quickly drew a cartoon version of Naruto's face and a small fox with nine tails and a big 'does not equal' sign between them.

She suddenly felt much safer that the Haven housed all nine Jinchuuriki.

* * *

Tsunade's headaches have been getting worse and worse. She may eventually start having to take migraine medication. And her problems never seemed to let up, it was always Raikage this, Tsuchikage that, Kazekage this, it never stopped.

The only thing she didn't have to worry about was an invasion. The Outcast had Fire territory locked up tight, and the Tsunchikage had reassured her that anything less than the nine Biju would hit Iwa like a bucket of water on a rock.

She made a note to thank them.

Then there was Naruto. Any free time she had she spent looking out the window, wondering, always wondering, what had happened to that blond enigma. And no matter how hard she tried, she could not forget the boy that had brought her back to Konoha.

She sighed as she wrapped up the Nostalgia moment, and returned to the paperwork. She quickly signed a few papers before putting the stack into her neatly organized "Out" box, and pulling another stack onto her desk from the equally organized "In" box.

A mental image of Naruto's smiling face flashed against her memory.

Tsunade stopped what she was doing, took a deep breath, and struggled against the tears that began flowing out of her eyes. "Oh, Naruto, Naruto, Naruto." She whispered to herself, "Wherever you are, I hope that you are happy."

* * *

As the day went by, she decided to have a gift sent to both the Tsuchikage and the Outcast, to thank both of them for their help. She had already sent a convoy of wood supplies to Iwa and was about to send some weapons to the Outcast when she hit a small hitch in the plan.

She had no clue where the Outcast was.

She instantly called in Jiraiya, thinking his spy network would know where he was.

The Toad Sanin was clueless.

She called in all of her reconnaissance teams. They had no idea either.

She called in every ninja who had contact with the Exiles for the last month. They all had the same story, the Exiles came to them; they had no idea where the Exiles came from.

All except Hinata. "Yes, Hokage-sama, I know where the Haven is."

"The Haven?"

"The Haven of the Exiles." Hinata explained.

"So you could get to the Haven and then get everyone back?"

"Depends." Hinata shrugged.

"On what?"

"Well, some of the Exiles have something against the 'Insiders' so really it depends on whether or not the Outcast gives them the 'seal of approval' if you will."

Tsunade began to think. "Is there any way we could get that 'seal?'"

Hinata thought about it, and a plan began to form in her mind. "It's possible, but it could get very complicated."

"How so?"

"Well, the only way I can think of is too get an Exile representative in Konoha, but the problem to that is that we can't reach the Outcast to send an ambassador. So really the only thing we can do is to send someone to the Haven, gain their trust, and have that person become the ambassador, but the only person who knows the location of the Haven is…" She put on a face that looked like she didn't like where this was going.

Tsunade looked at her, "Hinata."

"I-I-I…"

"What?"

She hung her head in defeat. She sighed. "Do you have a mission for me, Hokage-sama?"

"I do. I want you to become our first ambassador to the Haven of the Exiles."

Hinata sighed, "Yes, Hokage-sama." She said, while in her head she rejoiced as her plan came together perfectly.

* * *

Hinata stood at the gate, a backpack slung over one shoulder. She read her assignment scroll again. She was to spend one moth gaining the Exile's trust before coming back and giving monthly reports.

She could do that.

She could come back to this rat hole once a month. That way, she'd see her friends and her family.

She looked sadly back at the village, knowing people were watching. She sighed before stepping out of the empty shell that was once the village of Konoha.

She took her first steps to freedom.

* * *

Sasuke walked into the black throne room. The dark man sat on his dark throne. "Report." The dark man said, the shadows of the room matching the color of his black heart.

"The Jinchuuriki seemed to have disappeared."

"What?!" The dark man said, standing.

"There is no trace of them, not even the dobe that holds Kyuubi."

"How can the nine most powerful creatures in the world simply disappear!?" The Dark man said, the room shaking with his fury.

Sasuke stood unfazed. "So what are your orders?"

The dark man watched the boy for a moment. "I know what you want, Sasuke." He said. "But I forbid you to find Itachi until you have found at least one Biju."

"Whatever." Sasuke said, turning to the door.

The dark man spoke, "Watch yourself, Sasuke. I could have killed Itachi easily, you would be no less difficult."

Sasuke just turned his head to look back. "I'm sure." He said, before walking away.

* * *

Hinata stood, five miles north of Konoha. She activated her Byakugan, and checked the area.

She couldn't see him, but that didn't mean anything.

After making sure no one was in the area, she began calling him. "Naruto…Naruto…I need to see you."

There was silence for a bit.

Suddenly, he appeared. The white coat and green armor were unmistakable. "Hey, Hinata." He said, "Whatcha doing out here?"

She held the scroll out to him. "Assignment from the Hokage to me." She handed him the scroll.

Naruto read it over. When he finished he gave her back the scroll. "So, an ambassador?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, then let's go, you've got a month to start fitting in, we can't waste a day."

He grabbed her hand and began leading her eastward. Hinata's face was a deep shade of red the whole way. He led her through thick trees and bushes that Hinata didn't remember seeing. Then they came upon another marker, like the one at the forest's border she saw a year and a half ago.

"Okay, here's a trick." He said, "Whenever you're returning from Konoha, and you come to this point, make the Kai seal and then touch the skull. Underneath it is a seal that puts people in a Genjutsu that makes them go in huge circles."

"Why do you have it here?"

"To keep the Haven safe." Naruto said, "Once people know where the Haven is, they can send ninjas after all of the Exiles." He turned to her, "That's why I started the Haven, to give protection to those who need it." He turned back to the marker, "Now, let's go." He out his hands in the Kai seal, "Kai." He said, touching the skull.

He then took Hinata by the hand, and led her forward.

They continued through thick trees and bush, making their way eastward.

After an hour or so, they came upon a wall of fog. "Here's the other trick." Naruto said. He pulled his mask down, "Check this out." He said, letting go of Hinata's hand. He whistled three high notes and then five low notes in quick succession.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then the wall of fog began to move. Before her eyes, the fog began to roll out of the way, revealing the lake and the island.

"Now you've got to admit that's cool." Naruto said.

* * *

Naruto led Hinata to an empty tree house, let her unpack and everything, before he took her down to the streets. He explained to her the ins and outs of the Haven, everything from the indoor plumbing system to the Haven's council. "The council, made up of the Jinchuuriki and myself, is only called on when a member of questionable background wants to join, discussing battle plans, or if we are being invaded. Luckily, we only have had to worry about Kumo's invasion of Konoha so far." He told her as he led her past a playground that was filled with kids.

Hinata found the Haven to be a peaceful place. There seemed to be no problems, no worries, and no enemies. She would love to live here.

"Oh, hey." Naruto said, "I'd like to introduce you to a couple of people. Ondu! Niligol!" He said, waving across the street.

Two men, about 5"8', with dark auburn hair and vivid blue eyes turned. When they saw Naruto they both smiled. "Outcast-san." One of them said.

Hinata quickly looked both of them over. The one that had spoken had a baldric that was covered with knives. At his sides hung two trench knives, with a red circle embedded into the black steel.

The other one was just as well armed, if not better. In his belt sat three single-bit axes, and a large sledgehammer hung on his back. He also had a long scar that traced his cheek.

"Hinata," Naruto told her, "This is Ondu and Niligol." He motioned to the knife wielder and the axe man respectively. "Ondu, Niligol, this is Hyuuga Hinata, she's Konoha representative in the Haven."

The two of them got a little uneasy. "Uh, sir. She's…she's an insider." Niligol said.

"Yes she is." Naruto said. "But she is going to be living here and then going to Konoha once a month to report to the Hokage, so get used to it." He said the last five words with a threatening undertone.

"Yes sir." The said.

"Now, spread the word. If anyone as much as looks at her the wrong way, I'll hand them over to Killer Bee to use for sword practice."

"Yes sir." They said, before taking off in opposite directions.

Naruto sighed. "Prejudice sucks."

"Sorry," Hinata said.

"No, don't apologize for someone else's stupidity. But anyway, do you have any questions?"

"Um, yes, actually. What would happen if one of the Jinchuuriki went out of control?"

Naruto smiled, "I'm glad you asked. The thing is, we all keep each other in check. If one of us went out of control, then the other nine would do their best to stop the one. Now, Killer Bee, and Bachiatari, the Eight and Seven tail Jinchuuriki are both in a state where the Biju doesn't try to turn them into mindless killing machines. If worse came to worse, these two would be the biggest help, they are a perfect mix of control and strength, which helps them the most. Now another fact for you, all of the Biju that are five tails and under, except Shukaku, are easily controlled. This means that only three of the Jinchuuriki are actually in danger of losing control, the Ichibi, the Rokubi, and…"

"And you." Hinata said.

"…Yeah." He said, deflating his chest and bending over in shame.

It hurt Hinata to see him like that. "Hey, don't worry about it, ok? You are Naruto, the Fox is the Fox, and whatever the Fox did to mess his life up is his fault. You have your own slate, and so far, it's clean."

Naruto looked up at her and smiled. Then his eyebrows furrowed. "Hm." He said, pointing the Headband Hinata wore around her neck. "Were going to have to do something about this." He said.

"Naruto, I'm only supposed to be an ambassador, my loyalties are to Konoha first." Hinata said.

"I know, which is what brought this question up." He said, suddenly taking it off her neck, and leaving Hinata wondering how he did that.

"How did you…?"

"What?"

"How did you untie the knot without me notcing?"

Naruto smiled with a foxy grin. "You pick up a few things." He said, before beginning to walk down the street, "Come on."

He led her down the street to a small shop where the banging of metal could be heard. The shop sigh read, "Tekkou's(Iron and Steel) Blacksmith."

"Hey, Touken (Cold steel)!" Naruto said as he went through the door.

"One second!" a deep voice from the back room said. In a about ten seconds, a man with brown hair, nearly back eyes, and well muscled arms came up to the desk, his hands and face were almost back with soot, except for where the beads of sweat washed it off, leaving long trails across the contours of his face. "Outcast-sama," He said, bowing slightly, "What can I do for you?"

"Well, first off, you should introduce yourself to this lovely young lady next to me," Hinata blushed, "and then you'll get to show off."

"Cool, I like showing off. Anyway," Touken said, holding out his soot covered hand, "My name is Tekkou Touken, blacksmith extraordinaire."

Hinata took his hand and shook it, "I'm Hyuuga Hinata, and it's good to meet you."

"Oh, a Hyuuga," Touken said, letting go of her hand and having his face twisit into a remembering expression, "now let's see, my last fight with a Hyuuga, he left me laying on the ground, bleeding, and half-unconscious. Excellent fight."

"Yeah, yeah, 'one of the greatest fights I ever had.'" Naruto said. "Just put the Mark on both sides of the leaf on this this." He said, putting her Hedaband on the counter.

"Why on both sides of it?" Touken asked.

"Because she is Konoha's ambassador to us, and we are going to use her to stay in contact with Konoha."

"Oh, so she's not a 'real' Exile."

"Exactly."

"Alright, I can do that." He said, as he put his thumbs and forefingers on the edge of the steel.

"Hinata, come over here and watch, this is as cool as it gets." Naruto said, pulling her close to the bench.

Suddenly, Touken's chakra flared. You could almost see the blue aura's Around his hands as he began to focus it into the headband.

Slowly, two perfect circles began to appear, being cut out of the headband by chakra.

The chakra slowly began to fade. "Whew." Touken said, as he held up the finshed product. "That takes a bit of work."

Hinata looked down at her headband, and the newly cut circles in it. She looked up at Touken, "How?"

Touken smiled, "We Tekkou have something like a bloodline ability that allows us to use charka to mold metal. There is a legend that we made the first chakra saber, but I doubt that's true."

"And you're an Exile? With a bloodline like that how could you not be in your own village?"

"I was born in Kiri, most of my family died in their bloodline war." He said, seriously.

"…Oh…" suddenly feeling that the moment was awkward.

He then smiled, "But it's good to know that some Villages would kill for my bloodline, no pun intended."

Hinata sighed, glad the awkward moment was gone. "Thank you very much." Hinata said, reaching into her pocket for some money. She put two thousand ryo on the table and was about to head out.

"Hey, come back here." Touken said.

Hinata turned around.

Touken gave her money back. "No one pays for the Mark." He said.

"Well, thanks, Touken." Naruto said, "But we've got to get going. We have the whole Haven to look at."

"Alright you get to that, oh by the, your sword's modifications are almost complete."

"Thanks, Touken." Naruto said, "Just have it sent to my office when it's done."

"Will do!" Touken said as the Outcast and Konoha's ambassador left the shop.

"When did you get a sword?" she asked.

"Tenten gave it to me before I left." Naruto told her. "Remember?"

"No."

"Well, she did, and I've become quite adept at sword play. Some people will even tell you I'm a master." He said, his head swelling with pride.

Hinata had the sudden urge to knock him down a peg. "So you've gotten past the accidently cutting yourself stage?"

Naruto's ego deflated, and he gave Hinata a look. Hinata laughed.

"I'm kidding." She said.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto said.

Suddenly, a large man with a white headband with the Kumo symbol and the Mark of the Exile on it appeared. He had light blond hair, and well-muscled arms. On his shoulder was a tattoo with the Kanji for 'iron' and he had what looked like two bull horns tattooed under his left eye, which was hidden by a pair of dark sunglasses. On his back was a special sheath that held seven swords. His belt had two long, braided strands hanging from it, which reminded Hinata of squid tentacles.

"Outcast-san." He said, a slightly worried tone in his voice.

"Killer Bee, good to see ya." Naruto said, turning to Hinata, "This is Killer bee, the Hachibi container. Killer Bee this is Hyuuga Hinata."

Killer Bee seemed to flinch at the name Hyuuga, but he shrugged it off. "Outcast-san, we've got ourselves a bit of a fix."

"So you've called me to get in the mix?" Naruto said a slight smile on his face.

Killer Bee suddenly looked like he was resisting something. "There's someone at the shore, he wants to see you."

"Well, I hope the wait won't make him blue."

"Please stop."

"Sure, pop."

"Why are you doing this to me!?" Killer Bee said, falling to his knees in a pathetic way.

Hinata looked at them both, wondering what was going on. Naruto saw the look and began to explain, "His girlfriend won't date him until he can prove he can go two weeks without rapping."

"How long has it been?" Hinata asked, wondering how long he has tortured himself.

"Less than three hours."

* * *

He stood at the shore. It took him days to find. Each day was followed by a sleepless night, but he had finally found it. Now he stood on the shore, where a large crowd had gathered, some carried an almost literal arsenal of weapons on them while others simply stood there and tried to look imposing.

But the one he was looking for wasn't there.

Suddenly, a man in a white coat appeared, beneath the coat was a suit of green armor.

"_So we meet again, Naruto."_

* * *

Next chapter, Council Meeting and the Untold Truth.


	6. Chapter 6

Naruto stood on the shore, looking at the man who wanted to see to him.

Something told him that wasn't all he wanted to do.

Mostly because the man across the lake was a man who had hunted him down as Naruto. Naruto stepped to the shore and yelled across the water. "Who are you and what is your business here?"

The man smirked. "You know who I am, Outcast." He yelled across the water.

"Humor me."

The man chuckled. "I am Uchiha Itachi, and I beg entrance into your village."

"No one enters the Haven armed unless I give them my approval!" Naruto yelled.

Itachi looked across the water, before unhooking the sword at his side, removing the Shuriken holster, and activating any storage seals he had tattooed on his body. "There, I am unarmed."

Naruto was unimpressed. "If you are truly Uchiha Itachi, then your very eyes are a weapon."

Itachi stood, before going to the headband that was tied around his forehead. He loosened it slightly, letting it fall across his eyes, before retightening it. "Will this do, Outcast?"

"As long as you make no move for the Headband!" Naruto yelled. He quickly turned to Killer Bee, who stood next to him. "Get over there and tie his hands behind his back."

"Yes, sir." Killer Bee said, before running across the lake.

"I want the archers to be trained on the Uchiha at all times." Naruto said to another man beside him.

The man nodded and jumped into the trees.

Itachi then came across the lake, carried by the Ex-kumo Jinchuuriki. Killer Bee set him down roughly.

"So, Itachi. What do you want here?" Naruto asked.

"I wish to become an Exile." He said simply.

Naruto glanced up at Killer Bee. The large man looked at the Outcast, exchanging questioning looks. Naruto returned his attention to the Uchiha. "I will not have it said that I kept someone out of the Haven because of the past." Naruto said. "Killer Bee, take Mr. Uchiha to the Council chamber."

"Yes, sir." Killer Bee said, before hefting Itachi on his shoulder and taking him away.

Naruto turned and Hinata came next to him, "You're going to let Itachi become an Exile?"

"Only if he miraculously killed his clan for the village." Naruto said, walking inland.

"Well, it's obvious he didn't, so why give him a chance?" she asked, catching up to him.

Naruto looked at her. "Someone once said the same thing about me." Naruto said. "I will not let it happen to anyone else."

Hinata regretted the words she had spoken. So she kept silent for.

Naruto snapped his fingers, and Felicia jumped down from the trees. "You called, Outcast-sama?"

"Call the council members, we have one whose background is far beyond 'questionable.'"

"Yes, sir." Felicia said, before jumping into the trees.

"Come on, Hinata. You'll probably need to see this." He said, taking her by the hand.

Hinata's heartbeat quickened.

He led her to a large tree which stood more or less in the center of the Island. It stood, ancient, a giant among the forest. Its base was larger than a most buildings in Konoha, and it rivaled the size of the Hokage tower. Its tallest branches seemed to almost touch the clouds.

Naruto led her in between the giant roots of the monstrous tree. Where, much to her surprise was a large seal painted onto the wood. Naruto let her hand go, and held both hands to the seal. It began to glow as chakra began to flow into it. The seal suddenly sank into the wood, a whole inch, and then the surrounding area sank too, creating a large archway. The arch suddenly shot upward, disappearing into the wood. The inside of the root was black. "Come on." Naruto said, taking her hand and leading her into the giant tree.

Again, Hinata's heartbeat quickened. _"Stop it!"_ she yelled at herself, _"Be mature. You are acting like hormone driven teenager."_

"_I _am_ a teenager." _A part of her said.

"_Barely."_

"_All the same."_

Before Hinata could come up with a retort for herself, she saw a sight that took her breath away. The inside of the tree had been hallowed out into a perfect, wooden dome. A hundred torches lit the room. The roof was covered in a pink crystal, which reflected the light of the torches, throwing the whole room in a pink, almost white light. Circling the room, hugging the wall, was a large balcony. The balcony sat at the same level until it came to the area opposite the door, where it suddenly jutted upward, and then it returned to the normal height.

"That's my seat." Naruto said, pointing to the part o the balcony that stood higher than the others.

"I-Is this -?" she asked wondering if this was the room.

"Yup the council chamber, it took us a year to get it done though." Naruto said, before he jumped up to the balcony, and landed behind his chair. "Come on up and take a seat." Naruto said to her.

Hinata looked up at him, confused. "Why?"

Naruto smiled, "You're Konoha's ambassador. A seat comes with the job."

* * *

Felicia ran into Gaara's academy classroom, nearly running into a young student. "Gaara-sama."

"Felicia." Gaara said, giving her his full attention, much to the relief of the students.

"Your presence is requested in the council chamber."

Gaara sighed. "Oh well, I suppose a break from quantum chakra theory is acceptable." He said as he stood up, but not before singling out one of the children. "You're in charge until I get back. If anything, and I mean _anything_ is out of place, I will hold you responsible."

The boy gulped as he suddenly realized the boys he was picking on that morning were smiling evilly. Before the boy could protest to his sensei, he was gone, leaving the boy with revenge-thirsty classmates, and a room filled with fragile knick-knacks.

* * *

As the Jinchuuriki arrived, Naruto introduced them to Hinata, the ambassador. "Hinata, this is Bachiatari, the Shichibi Jinchuuriki, she lived in Waterfall before joining the Exiles."

"And joining was the best thing I ever did." Bachiatari said.

"And this is the Nibi Jinchuuriki, Yugito." Naruto said, motioning to a blond-hiared figure dressed completely in black only letting her black eyes shine happily in the light.

"It is wonderful to meet you, Hyuuga-sama, and I ask for forgiveness with what my village tried to do to you." Yugito said.

Hinata looked at the woman, before suddenly remembering what had happened all those years ago. Before she finally said, "I have no quarrel with you, if Naruto trusts you, then so will I."

"And this," Naruto said, saving Hinata from an awkward moment, "is the Sanbi Jinchuuriki, Suppon (snapping turtle)." He said, motioning to a blond boy with purple eyes and a long scar running from his left eye down his cheek. A mist Headband hung from his leg, the Mark of the Exile, of course, sat on it.

"Snapping Turtle?" Hinata asked, wondering what the meaning behind his name meant.

"I did not have the most creative guardians." Suppon said.

"This is Roushi, the Yonbi Jinchuuriki, and creator of Youton jutsus." Naruto said, pointing to a man with fiery red hair that formed a large beard. He had a grey mark across his face and a Iwa headband that seemed to make a three-pronged, brown shield around his head.

"An honor, Miss Hyuuga." Roushi said bowing.

"The honor is mine," Hinata said bowing, "By the way, what animal is Yonbi?"

"A giant four-tailed iguana."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I made Lava attacks, go figure."

"This over here," Naruto said, moving on to another Ex-Iwa Jinchuuriki covered head to foot in red armor. He wore a red straw hat and carried a large gourd-like object on his back. "Is Kuniku (Dog flesh)*, the Gobi Jinchuuriki."

Kuniku nodded at them, showing he recognized the introduction.

"He doesn't talk much." Naruto said.

"Why is he wearing -?" Hinata asked, only to have her mouth covered by Naruto's.

"I'll tell you later. Anyways, over there, by my chair, there is Urawaza (underhanded trick), the Rokubi Jincuuriki." He said, pointing to a dark haired man clothed in a loose, blue, Kimono.

"My pleasure." Hinata said.

"The pleasure is mine." Urawaza said.

"You've already met Killer Bee, and Gaara will be here any moment." As soon as the words left his mouth, Gaara came in, floating on a sand cloud.

"I'm here, what's the emergency?" Gaara said.

"You'll see in a little bit." Naruto said, "But, in the meantime, have you met Hinata?"

"Hm." Gaara said as he looked thoughtfully at her face. "No, I don't think I have."

"Well, then, Gaara, meet Hyuuga Hinata, Konoha's ambassador to the Haven. Hinata, Gaara, container of the Ichibi, and our academy teacher."

Suddenly Killer Bee entered, Itachi slung over his back. Naruto looked at him, and mouthed the words, "You took him around?" wondering if Killer Bee took him around the island to disorient him.

Killer Bee nodded.

"Good." Naruto mouthed, before speaking up. "Uchiha Itachi, welcome to our council chamber. Now, tell us your story. Tell us why we should let you into the Haven. After all, it was you who killed your entire clan, was it not?"

Itachi, hearing his voice, did his best to look that way, even though the headband was still in front of his face. "It was. But, Naruto, may I call you Naruto?"

"I'd rather you not, but if you can't help it."

"Naruto, what you or anyone is this room don't know about it makes all the difference."

"So what is it we don't know?" Naruto asked.

"You don't know that one month before the massacre, I was given a mission."

"And what does this mission have to do with it?" Suppon asked.

"It has everything to do with it, Sanbi's container-sama."

That put everyone, especially Suppon, on edge. Naruto quickly stepped in to calm them. "Relax people, relax, no one is going to get hurt." People sat back in their chair, and tried their best to relax. When everyone was settled Naruto said. "You may continue, Itachi."

"Thank you. This mission, given to me by the Hokage, had me spy on the Uchiha clan, to watch for any signs of a possible uprising. I did not know why they gave me this mission. I didn't why they picked me, but the more I began to look into it, the more I began to see.

"It started with secret meetings held in my father's house, in a secret basement. Then there weapons stocking, as if a large battle were taking place. Then I saw some of the woman canning their food and putting it in large refrigerators. With every passing day, I got more and more suspicious.

"Finally, I was able to make it in to one of the meetings, only to learn the worst and most terrible secret. The Uchiha clan was planning a coup, and Shisui, my closet friend was one of the leaders. Even my own aunt and uncle, who loved Sasuke so very much, were in on it, and wanted nothing more than to see Konoha in ashes.

"One night, I confronted Shisui on the matter of the coup, I told him to get out of it now. He only laughed and said not to worry about a thing. I told him to leave the coup again and he got suspicious. He asked me why he should leave. He asked me if I was a traitor of the Uchiha clan. I told him I was no traitor and that the Uchiha should be loyal to Konoha and remain a powerful clan, instead of a band of traitors.

"I should have known not to say something like that. He got violent, saying that I was a traitor, saying that I should have my loyalties to family first. He said he would be doing me a favor, killing me before anyone found out. So…so…so," He hesitated, "I had to kill him. I had to maintain my cover. I had to stop the coup, and I could not do that if I was dead.

"A week after what had happened, I reported to the Hokage. He was very distressed by what he heard. He then called together his teammates, and asked them what should be done. They talked in circles, trying to figure out what to do. The Hokage's teammates wanted the Uchiha clan wiped out, except for one or two members. The Hokage just wanted the insurrection put down, but the argument just kept going and going. Finally, Sandaime-sama gave in, and finally agreed to his teammates suggestion, even though he didn't like it.

"Then another argument arose, who would be the one to carry out their plan." Then he said to himself, "If only I hadn't been in the room. They argued and argued until one of them looked at me. 'Maybe Itachi-san would do us the honor?' he said. Hokage-sama instantly jumped to my defense, 'No, he has done enough against his clan, let him be.' Then his other teammate spoke, 'I don't see why he shouldn't, he knows exactly who is in on the coup and who isn't.'

"And so they argued, Sandiame-sama fighting in my favor, and the others fighting against me. Until I finally spoke up. 'I'll do it.'"

Itachi looked up at the council, seemingly seeing them through the Headband. "To this day, I don't know what prompted me to agree to the mission, but I did. And I've regretted it every day since then."

Itachi shivered as he remembered that night.

* * *

The night was silent.

A pitch black sky hung over the world like a suffocating blanket.

It was silent.

The full moon hung over the sky, the only light that night.

Nothing made a sound.

If anyone had been out that night, they would have felt uneasy. If anyone had been walking the streets, they would have run home. It was the kind of night that would make the hairs on your neck stand straight up.

Silence reigned that night.

If anyone that was one the streets had looked up, they would have seen that on one of the electricity poles, a figure, silhouetted by the full moon.

The figure perched, crouched on the top of the pole. If someone had stood in exactly the right place, they would have seen what some could swear to be two red lights.

Silence reigned that night of terror.

The figure suddenly disappeared.

The silence was broken with a muffled scream.

Slowly that screamed was joined by others, and then more and more as the black blur moved through the Uchiha compound. Slowly, the compound began to stink of blood. Sluggishly, to caught off guard to move otherwise, the Uchiha began to put up a defense. The black blur tore right through it.

Yells of "Traitor!" began to mingle with the screams that filled the air.

Then there was silence.

A missing nin had been born.

Then there was a sound. The sound of a confused, young boy, gasping at the death that had fallen around him.

The boy ran, trying to find someone who was still alive. Trying to find someone, anyone, who was a friendly face.

The only friendly faces were dead.

The boy kept running. Trying to find someone. He ran, heading home, hoping that if anyone, they were left.

His hopes died as soon as he stepped through the door. Both of his parents lay dead on the floor. The boy looked at them, shocked. His shock only deepened as a figured appeared from the shadows. "Itachi-nee-san…? Why?"

Itachi looked at his brother, his heart being ripped apart inside. He looked at that face and wanted to say "I'm sorry." He wanted to say "Sasuke, forgive me, please."

But he didn't say that.

Instead he did something he would have never done to anyone. He put his brother through grueling torture for three days straight. He told his brother to hate him. He told him that hatred is where strength came from.

He didn't know why. He wanted Sasuke to be a great ninja, unhindered by petty things like hatred. He wanted Sasuke to bring honor back to the name Uchiha, he wanted Sasuke to be everything he himself could never be.

But what was done was done, it was too late now.

Itachi turned and left his brother, jumping into the trees.

When he was out of range, he took off his headband. He looked at it, and saw the leaf symbol, the symbol of the home he had left. Then he saw something else, the leaf went out of focus and his reflection came into view.

The reflection held the face of a killer.

A tear fell.

Itachi fell to his knees. The face of the killer softened.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore; he knelt over and began to cry. The leaf headband lay in front of him, discarded in the cool grass. Tears began to run in rivers down his face. "What have I done?" He asked himself in a weak voice. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry, Sasuke…"

* * *

"And that is the truth, pure and simple." Itachi said.

The council members sat in silence. Whether they were touched or otherwise was impossible to tell without looking at their faces, as was Itachi's case.

He heard someone stand up. "Do you have any proof of this story?" He heard Naruto's voice ask.

There was silence for a moment, before Itachi spoke up. "No, I have no proof, no other proof than the fact that I am begging to join your ranks, Naruto-sama." He said getting on his knees. "I'm begging you, let me help Konoha again, I would do more for it here than anywhere else. Please, Naruto-sama, please, I beg you to let me join." If any of the council members had seen his eyes, they would have known that he was telling the truth.

Itachi heard the shuffling of feet and hushed voices speaking. He caught small words like. "I agree," "Ataksuki," and "I don't think..."

Then Naruto's voice, raised above the rest, said "So have we come to a decision?"

There was silence.

"Very well." Naruto's voice said.

Itachi heard someone standing to their feet. "Uchiha Itachi, the council has decided your fate." He heard the sound of a kunai being pulled out of a holster.

Itachi didn't move.

"You once belonged to an organization that hunted down Jinchuuriki, you have committed the crime of genocide."

Itachi sighed. _"If they don't accept me, that is their right, if they kill me, I can ask for no better treatment."_

"You have been a catalyst for the events that has led to my exile." Naruto said, his voice rising in anger.

Silence.

"But." The word seemed like a gentle breeze. "The genocide was for your village, you hunted but never captured, you had no control over the events that led to my exile. You have done nothing to have our anger, we have no quarrel with you."

Itachi was suddenly blinded by a bright pinkish light. He then saw Naruto's smiling face, the scratched headband in one hand, a kunai in the other. "There is an old saying, ask, and you will receive. You have asked, and so now, receive our blessing." Naruto said, taking the kunai and touching both of Itachi's shoulder's with the blade. "The old Itachi is no more; there is only Uchiha Itachi, the Exile."

* * *

Itachi stood in his new home, a tree house not far from the council tree. His Ataksuki cloak had been disposed of, and his headband had been repaired and fitted with the Mark. He smiled.

He should have come here years ago.

The wind blew at his hair.

He frowned.

He could have sworn he heard a voice on the wind.

It was the voice of someone he knew was dead.

* * *

She stood on her balcony, looking down at the man who had turned Exile. _"Well well, it seems the weasel has joined up. I should give him a warm welcome in the morning."_

* * *

Next chapter, Life as an Exile

*Biju that have not been shown yet are going to follow 'traditional' (according to the internet) Japanese mythology, so here's a list for you:

Four Tailed Demon- Yonbi no Sokou, takes the form of a reptile like creature in Japanese mythology.

Five Tailed Demon - Gobi no Houkou, takes the form of a dog in Japanese mythology.

Six Tailed Demon - Rokubi no Raijuu, takes the form of weasel in Japanese mythology.

Seven Tailed Demon - Shichibi no Kaku, takes the form of a badger in Japanese mythology.

Also, please calm down! I alternate storise when I write the chapters, i.e. One for Naruto: Keyblade Master, one for Outcast, then back to Keyblade Master, then back to Outcast. Please don't complain about it being too slow, I was able to write a 23 chapter story like that in a little less than nine months, and that was my first. So please, relax a bit.


	7. Chapter 7

Itachi woke up that morning, a smile on his face. He had had a nice dream that night.

In his dream Tsunade had found him and begged him to come back, where he was treated as a hero. Then Sasuke came back and forgave him.

Itachi sighed. Yeah, it was definitely a dream.

He sat up on his bed and got out with a stretch. He sat at the edge of his bed for a bit before standing up. He went over to his dresser and picked up his ANBU clothes, the only clothes he had since the day he left. _"Need to get more clothes."_ He thought.

He got dressed, buckling his sword to his side and tying his headband to his head. With an habitual glance at his surroundings, he headed out.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the gigantic trees, giving the whole village a green hue to it. It looked rather nice, actually.

Itachi suddenly tensed. He felt a presence behind him. It was neither malevolent, nor was it benevolent, but Itachi had learned that you never take a chance. He silently and slowly put his hand on his sword hilt. The presence stepped closer. Itachi could almost feel its breathing on his neck. It was so close.

Suddenly, the presence was gone.

Itachi's grip on the sword loosened. Whoever it was didn't mean any harm, or he would have done something.

He moved towards the long rope ladder that was connected to each house, and slowly made his way down, until he heard the sound of paper fluttering in the wind. He quickly located the source of the sound, and found it to be his own back. He deftly reached back for it, using only one hand to hold onto the ladder, and pulled a sheet of paper off his back. It read, of all things, "Kick me, I'm a jerk."

Itachi blinked. Whoever it was that was up there on the balcony with him was either insane or had a score to settle.

He looked back at the paper.

Probably insane.

* * *

A figure in the trees laughed silently to herself. _"It seems Weasel-kun needs to watch his back better."_

* * *

Itachi walked the streets of the Haven, surprised to see that many of them had smiles on their faces, and the smiles didn't disappear when they saw him.

It seemed strange, especially since earlier, those same people scowled at him when he first arrived.

Apparently, the Mark was enough to get you into any 'in' crowd here.

The packed dirt road was lined with shops on either side. Each owner was hawking his wares, everything from fish to scrolls on jutsus, which really surprised Itachi that they would _sell_ their jutsus.

He found a clothes shop not too far away and bought some new clothes, including a black trench coat, black pants, red tee-shirt, and black, steel-tipped, leather boots. He then went further down the street and bought more clothes, including a large, brown, broad-brimmed hat, that he just couldn't resist, and a large belt that had two parts to the crossed over each other.

The whole set up reminded him of a movie that had been imported years ago from the far west. He could barely remember the movie, but he remembered the good-guys clothes and how cool he looked. He might as well try the look out.

Especially since after wearing the Akatsuki cloak, which didn't leave much room for expressing creativity, he would try anything. Maybe even Naruto's orange jumpsuit.

"_Uh…scratch that. _Almost_ anything."_

With a couple of quick handseals, he created a shadow clone, which took his clothes home, before continuing his walk around the Haven.

The Island, as he had learned it was called, was approximately nine kilometers wide and 12 kilometers long. It was also surrounded by water that was filled with chakra, which caused the mist to come up after long periods of being undisturbed, but, when the water is stirred, by either the ferryman's paddle or a hand swishing through the water, caused the mist in the whole area to condense.

Itachi smiled to himself, _"Yeah, being trained to be an ANBU definitely has its perks."_

He continued on his path, passing several more shops and a few swimming area, where the lake water was open to the public.

As Itachi walked around, he found that, despite everything that was against him, Naruto was one of the better leaders he had ever seen. His understanding of Outcasts has made him popular with the rejects, which, banded together, made one of the greatest forces in the whole world.

Itachi smiled, he'd love to see that idiot Pain try his luck against this village.

He kept walking, passing the gigantic council tree, and coming to a jewelry store. He watched for a small while, watching the jewelers make the diamonds and rubies through some forsaken bloodline. He watched them make beautiful, flawless stones, and then carefully set them in molten gold.

"Nice, huh?" A voice said in his ear.

His eyes went wide.

It was _her_ voice. He quickly began looking for the origin of the voice, but he didn't find her. Up, no, down, nothing, left, no one, right, clear, behind, air, ahead, only the shop.

He shook his head.

It couldn't be, he had seen her die, he had watched with his own eyes how she fell down that cliff all those years ago. No one could survive a fall like that.

Could they?

* * *

She smiled evilly. She loved to mess with his mind like this. It was probably in her nature somewhere. Still, it was fun to watch him suddenly jump and look around him frantically.

"_Let's play a little longer, Weasel-kun."_

* * *

Itachi wasn't sure if it was the pressure of being forced to the image of a killer finally catching up to him, or whether finally releasing all of the pressure was to blame, but he knew, he was losing his mind.

"_There's no way it could be her." _He told himself, _"You're hearing things."_

He calmly walked down the street, doing his best not to like he was going nuts.

He suddenly passed an alley.

His mouth dropped.

He could almost swear he saw her standing there. But the only thing that stood there was an electric pole.

His step quickened. He was losing his mind! He needed medical, psychological help!

"Going so soon, Weasel-kun?" he heard her voice again.

He ran harder.

A thousand of illogical thoughts ran through his head. Maybe he was being haunted. Maybe he had died, and the Haven was really a twisted version of Hell that made you think everything was alright before making you go crazy. Maybe he had found a way to hear spirits of the dead.

He knew that none of them were right, but he couldn't tell if they were wrong.

He suddenly turned the corner, and ran smack-dab into a tree.

He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

* * *

"_Weeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaasel-kuuuuuunnnnnn…Weeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaasel-kuuuuuun…" _It was her voice.

Was he happy to hear it?

Maybe.

"_Weeeeaaasel-kuun! Weasel-kun! _Weasel-kun!"

Itachi opened his eyes as consciousness returned.

He saw two deep green eyes.

He sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm either in some asylum somewhere or I'm dead."

Felicia smiled. "Well, if you're dead then can you say you made the most of life?"

"No. I just now made it to a place where I can live in peace and then you kill me."

Felicia smiled mischievously, "And what makes you think _I_ did it?" she asked innocently.

Itachi knew from experience that Felicia was _never_ innocent. "Kick me, I'm a jerk?"

Felicia smile mischievously. "Well, Weasel-kun," she said, changing the subject, "I hate to break it to you, but you're not dead."

"Great, asylum." Itachi said.

"No, you're not there either." Felicia said, "I'm afraid you're perfectly sane."

Itachi looked up at her, some memory deep in the recesses of his mind coming back to the surface. "Let me guess, 'It's in your nature.'"

She smiled innocently.

Again, Felicia never is, was, or will be, innocent.

Itachi groaned exasperated.

* * *

Naruto smiled as he walked down the street of the Haven.

People were smiling, laughing, and feeling accepted: just what he had hoped for.

His sensitive ears picked up the sound of two familiar voices talking. His eyebrows furrowed. He never pick those two to hit it off. He decided he'd go see what this was about.

With a quick shunshin, he appeared in front of a log, where two people were sitting and talking, namely, Itachi and Felicia. "So, we have a Weasel and a Cat. Something tells me you should be at each other's throats." Naruto said as he stood in front of them.

Felicia smiled, "Oh, we past _that_ stage years ago."

Naruto raised his eyebrow in confusion, waiting for an explanation.

Itachi obliged, "I met Felicia about three weeks after my 'mission.' It was probably the only thing that kept me sane."

"Ah, ok, that makes sense." Naruto said, "So catching up are you?"

They nodded.

"Alright. Just don't break the bed or anything when you do each other."

Itachi blushed.

Felicia got a little ticked, "You're just jealous because you don't have a girlfriend!"

Itachi face-palmed. When he suddenly remembered something, "Hey, Naruto!"

"Yeah?" he asked, turning.

Itachi tossed him a small blue book.

"And this is?"

"The Mist's bingo book."

"And why do I want it?"

Itachi smiled. "Turn to page 45."

Naruto, confused did so until he came to the page. It had a rough sketch of a man wearing a hood and a mask. On the man's head was an Uzu headband. He checked the info.

"Name: N/A

Nickname: 'The Outcast'

Home Village: N/A

Known Jutsu: N/A

Other: Skilled with a sword and silent killings."

Then in big, bold letters it read at the bottom.

"Flee on sight."

Naruto smiled. "Nice."

* * *

Hinata walked down the street of the Haven, watching people go about their daily lives.

In a way, it reminded her of Konoha.

Or, at least, how Konoha used to be.

She sighed and shook her head, Konoha was filled with idiots, and they got rid of the one thing that made Konoha a good place.

She had thoughts these thoughts a million times, and right now, she just wanted to relax, so she pushed them away for now.

A small group of playing children came running past, playing a game of tag it would seem.

Hinata smiled as she watched them play and laugh. It was heartwarming after living in that shell of a village that is called Konoha.

She walked alone, watching the shop owners and the merchants try their best to get their items sold.

"Do you mind if I join?" a voice said nearby, she looked around for the origin, before finding Naruto. He was standing at the base of a nearby tree trunk.

She smiled when she saw him. "Of course you can." She said.

Naruto smiled as he walked up to her. "So what do you think of the Haven?"

"Oh, it's wonderful. Everyone is so happy and carefree, there's no need to worry about anything other than what's for dinner, and it's so safe here."

Naruto smiled, "Yeah it is, isn't it? I'm mean, sure it's no Konoha, but still."

Hinata's smiled disappeared; the name Konoha was enough to bring her into a depression.

Naruto noticed. "Hinata, what's wrong?"

She looked at him, he needed to know, he really did. "Naruto, ever since you left, Konoha has never been the same. It's…it's gone grey without you. No one cares about fun anymore, Kiba has grown too serious, as have Sakura and Ino, even Shikamaru has started becoming a mindless machine. Tsunade's losing her grip on control, and she can't find the right successor. Everyone had just become dull. The only one who has actually imporved from your leaving was my dad, and that was because he suddenly learned that you were Yondaime's son. It was a major wake up call to him." She looked up at Naruto, who was now staring directly at her, shocked at the news of his beloved Village. "Konoha has become a lifeless shell of what it once was. There really isn't much left to it these days that is worth protecting." She said, hoping he wouldn't take that last statement as a offense.

Naruto looked at her. Hoping, praying that this was some cruel joke.

Her clear, lavender eyes held no mischief, no malice, only the look of pain and regret.

It hurt him to know that. He sighed. "It's my fault isn't it?"

Hinata instantly told him otherwise. "No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't do that, don't blame yourself for this. When dad did that he was drunk for three days, don't blame yourself for that. These people need you to be strong. Don't become weak because you blame yourself."

Naruto looked at her, his own heart downcast. Then a thought struck him. He looked at Hinata again. Then he smiled. He liked this plan.

They continued walking, Naruto keeping the plan to himself, until the right time. As they walked, they came up to a large harbor-like pool. "Hey Hinata, Want to go swimming?"

Hinata nodded. "I would love to, but I forgot to pack a swimsuit."

"Oh, that's not a problem." Naruto said, pointing ahead of them to a shop that was a little down the road. "You can pick any suit you like."

Naruto led Hinata to the little shop, where she found enough swimsuits to cover the whole beach of the Island. She browsed through them, before coming up to a one-piece, lavender suit with dark blue patches around the sides and just below the neck. She loved it and bought it instantly.

When she had picked her suit, Naruto told her to go to her home to change, "Then meet me at my office, alright?"

"Alright." She said.

* * *

Hinata stood in front of Naruto's office door, and waited for him to come out. She was wearing her swimsuit with her pants over it, to keep from feeling awkward when she walked on the streets. She had knocked on the doorframe of the house a short while ago, on the doorframe because the only thing to serve as a door was a large cloth that hung from the top doorpost. "I'll be right there!" She heard Naruto yell.

She leaned back against the gigantic tree trunk and waited.

She did not need to wait long, because in a couple of seconds, Naruto came out, dressed only in an orange pair of trunks.

Hinata's eyes took one long look at him. Perfectly chiseled pecks, defined six-pack, huge arms. He was the epitome of physical fitness, and, more importantly, he was hot. Then she began to notice a couple of scars.

While scars weren't that unusual in the ninja world, they still blemished Naruto's ripped body.

Naruto turned to her. "So you ready to go?"

She quickly broke the stare she held with his body and looked up at his smiling eyes. "Of course."

Naruto smiled as he pulled out a three-pronged Kunai. "Alright, hold tight." He said, as he threw the Kunai and grabbed onto Hinata's shoulder.

"Eep." Hinata yelped, only for the world to disappear in a yellow flash.

They were in the air.

The thought just passed through her head before Naruto suddenly grabbed the three-pronged kunai he had thrown earlier, and threw it further away.

Another flash.

Naruto held onto Hinata for her life, knowing that if he let go, she would fall to the ground. He grabbed the Kunai again, and this time, after getting his bearing, threw the Kunai to the ground, where it dug deep into soft sand.

Another flash.

Hinata blinked.

Both she and Naruto now stood on a small island, not six meters long.

"Welcome to my private island, Hinata-hime." Naruto said. Suddenly realizing he had come up with a new familiar for her.

She blushed, taking in the familiar and the fact that Naruto still hadn't let go of her.

Naruto blushed as he realized the same. He let go of her, "So, yeah, swim to your heart's content. We won't be bothered by anyone here."

Hinata suddenly had an idea to spot the awkward moment. She pulled off her pants to free her swimsuit. "Race you to the water?"

Naruto smiled, "Of course, princess."

* * *

Naruto walked Hinata back to her tree house before throwing the Kunai home. He smiled as he hung the kunai next to a row of others exactly like it, before closing the secret compartment. He quickly changed into a pair of bed clothes, before getting into bed for his nightly, pre-sleep meditation.

The only thing on his mind was Hinata. Her smile, her eyes, her laugh. Everything about her seemed to cling to his mind and refused to leave. Finally, he surrendered and thought about her. Memories about her back at the training grounds all those years ago, flooded his mind. He smiled as he remembered her blush. _"She looked so cute when she did that."_

Naruto suddenly sat up. _"Did I really just think that?"_ He blinked a few times. _"Well, then again, is that really out of the question?"_

The more he thought about it, the more he could imagine a future of them together.

"_Hm, maybe I should get to know her better."_

He smiled, before yawning and shifting to a more comfortable position before going to sleep.

* * *

Sasuke sat in his room.

It was pitch black.

Only two names flew through his head as he sat there thinking. _"Naruto. Itachi."_

He thought about these two names. Naruto, the only one who could give him a run for his money back in Konoha. But that was years ago.

But then again, that was years ago. There is no telling how much he has improved.

Naruto would do anything to make sure he came back to Konoha.

Itachi, the man that killed his clan. The man that had destroyed his life. The man that had left him in the living hell that was the Uchiha compound. The man that had told him to hate. The man that was his brother.

Just the thought of them made his blood boil.

For the millionth time he renewed his pledge.

_"I will kill Itachi, and if Naruto stands in my way, I'll kill him too."_

* * *

End of Chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

Hinata sighed. The month had come to a close and her deadline for reporting had come. She stood outside of Konoha, the grey shell of the village it once was, and instantly wanted to be back at her tree house at the Haven. She shook the thought from her head. She had a mission to do; and a couple of "favors" for Naruto.

Her first favor was to find the Namikaze estate, get in the gates by using a vial of Naruto's blood, and find a secret scroll hidden in the Master bedroom. According to Naruto, it held the instructions to create the Hirashin seal. All he had were the actual Kunai his father had made, but the secret of the seal was still in Konoha.

Her second favor was to find a way for the rookie nine and team Gai to come to the Haven on a mission. Naruto felt like they needed a wakeup call.

But first, her mission to Tsunade.

She sighed before walking into the dead village.

A few delusional villagers, who thought Konoha was better off without 'the demon' waved hello to her.

Hinata ignored him.

Other villagers recognized her as one of the 'demon lovers' and scowled at her.

Most, however, remained impassive.

Her walk to the Hokage tower was not exceptionally long, but to her, it felt like an eternity walking through a dead garden, a barren place that weeds would not even inhabit, all because the gardener left. With every step she took, the more she wanted to be back in the Haven.

Finally she made it to the tower, the only possible sanctuary in this husk. She stepped inside and was immediately met by Shizune. "Tsunade is expecting you."

Hinata didn't say a word as Shizune led her up to the Hokage's office. As she began her ascent, she began to notice the silent melancholy aura that seemed to smother the tower. She sighed as she realized that even the Hokage tower was losing in its battle to survive; the grey of the village was suffocating even the tower.

Shizune stopped at the door and told her to wait while she announced her. Shizune disappeared into the office for a second before reappearing. "She will see you now." Shizune said before heading back to her desk. Hinata nodded and entered the Hokage's office.

Upon entering, she finally felt at home. The grey of the village finally gave way to the color of life. True, it was weak, but it was there, and it made all the difference, like a candle flame lights a room.

"Ah, Hinata, you're finally back. Tell me how it went."

"Well, I mostly spent the first month doing my best to fit in. I also spent some time with the Outcast, he has agreed to let anything to come from Konoha."

"Perfect. Then I will send the caravan tomorrow, you are to lead of course."

An idea struck Hinata. "The Outcast has actually made a request concerning the caravan."

"What?"

"He wants teams seven, Gai, eight and ten to man the caravan, he feels like he could bond better with his peers the most, and he wants communication between the Haven and Konoha to increase."

Tsunade looked thoughtful. "Well, team seven is on a mission right now, but other than that I think I can comply."

"He will greatly appreciate that." Hinata said.

* * *

That night, the night of a full moon, a house that had not been disturbed for almost eighteen years had been entered. A room that had been collecting dust was unsettled. An old scroll, a large one with words that have not been read since its creation, was taken.

* * *

Everyone was packed and ready to go by ten A.M. Teams Gai, eight, and ten were all there, minus the sensei, and were ready to go. The caravan, a large car filled with weapons, was brought up, and Shikamaru organized the teams. Hinata in front, since she knew the way, Kiba next, to sense any possible ambushes using his nose, Shino, Chouji, Neji, Tenten and Lee surrounding the cart, and Ino and himself in the back.

Hinata sighed, not even Lee was his usual self, even he, the zaniest person she knew had grown quiet and melancholy.

"Is everyone ready?" Hinata asked.

Silent nods were the only reply.

Hinata sighed. _"It's going to be a long trip."_ She thought. "Let's get going, then." She said, heading north.

The wheels of the cart groaned under the weight of the weapons as it was pulled forward by two large oxen.

The trip was a silent one, no one spoke, too focused on the mission to care about petty things like socializing, besides, it could give away their position. Not that the wheels of the cart wouldn't.

Hinata led them five miles north before taking a sharp turn east. The company still remained quiet, not even bothering to ask her why her sudden change in direction.

Suddenly, everyone in the company felt a deep, oppressing presence. It took a second for Hinata to identify it, but when she did, she smiled. "Relax guys, we're in the care of the Exiles now."  
"Relax?" Kiba asked, "Do you even feel this?"

"It's just their way of letting you know you're being watched." Hinata said, "Think of it as a warning against traitors."

"I don't see why they care that much." Neji said.

Hinata smiled to herself before whispering "You will."

Some thirty-forty minutes later, they came upon the skull marker.

"Dude, that is so hardcore." Chouji said.

No one even reacted to that comment.

Hinata preformed the ceremony to remove the Genjutsu the seal at the back of the skull, before continuing on. The overbearing presence followed them the whole way.

An hour later, they got to a gigantic wall of fog.

Shikamaru spoke up. "So now what?"

Hinata smiled before whistling.

Nothing happened for a moment, then the fog began to move aside as a ferry began to slowly make its way across the lake. No one except Hinata noticed. Everyone else's eyes were stuck on the gigantic trees that made the Haven. "Welcome to the Haven." Hinata said.

* * *

Hinata told the guys to just let the cart stand next to the ferry while she led them to the Council tree. The eight Konoha nins only gaped at the size of it. Hinata led them to the sealed door, a door that could only be found by those who knew how to find it, and opened it for them, before leading them inside the lit council chamber.

The pink crystal ceiling reflected the torch light into the whole room, making it breath with light. The eight of the visitors just gasped at the sight of the room, completely awed by its beauty until their eyes saw a white and green clad figure with a black mask. When their collective attention was on him, the figure spoke. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san, for bringing me some peers from Konoh, it is much appreciated."

"You're welcome, Outcast-sama." She said, playing her part.

"Now on with the pleasantries." The Outcast mumbled, "Welcome esteemed guests, to the Haven, my home and realm. You are welcome to anything you like, but I must ask you to be polite to my people, they have had enough of their share of problems without 'insiders' like you making them miserable." The way he said insiders immediately made the eight ninjas on edge.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiba said, angry, "Are you saying that we'd cause nothing but trouble? Why should we take orders from you, anyway? And why are you wearing a mask? What do you have to hide?"

The Outcast seemed to grow taller. "How dare you. I offer you my hospitality and you ask about my deepest secrets? I allow you to enter a place that the only insider who has seen it is an ambassador, and you spit in my face?" His voice got deeper and sounded every bit dangerous as it did serious, "I had my best men watch you to grant you safe passage and you dare ask why you should repay me? I do all this without asking a word about your lives, but you have the gall to know everything about me?!" Kiba began cowering, "Do you realize that with but a word you would all be dead before you hit the ground? You insiders have always thought that because of your name you can get anything you want. Well let me inform you, Inuzuka, that your name means nothing in the Haven. Here, every man woman and child is equal, pasts and names mean nothing." The Outcast stood in front of his seat and gave the most serious threat to the boy out of everything he said. "Now tell me why, after that show of stupidity, why I should honor my unspoken treaty with Konoha?"

Kiba nearly wet himself at the thought of what Tsunade would do to him if he broke the alliance between the Outcast and Konoha. "I-I-I-I-"

Shikamaru quickly stepped in, "Forgive him, Outcast-dono, he is an idiot. He did not mean those remarks."

The Outcast seemed pleased, "Leave it to a Nara to have enough brains to know what he is talking about." He said, "Very well, I suppose I can let that slide, after all, Inuzuka's are not know for their intellect."

Kiba nodded, suddenly feeling like he needed to get back on the Outcast's good side. "It's true, Outcast-dono."

"You better stop that, I hate kiss-ups." The Outcast said.

"Yes sir."

"Now, you may all go," The Outcast said, and everyone turned to leave. "except the Nara, I wish to speak with him." Shikamaru stopped and let everyone else go.

When the seal door shut, Shikamaru sighed, "Naruto, of all the troublesome people, you are the most annoying."

The Outcast smiled behind his mask, "What gave it away?" He asked as he dropped down to the council room floor.

"The coat, the headband, you're rivalry with Kiba and your singling him out." Shikamaru smiled, "And I bluffed."

Naruto smiled, "Now there's the Shikamaru I know and love."

"Good job though, you seriously had Kiba quaking there, it was very un-troublesome to see that."

"Well, if you liked that, there's more to come."

"I'm in. So what's the plan?"

Naruto looked at him, "Are you a good actor?"

* * *

Shikamaru came out of the council room, looking as if he had been threatened within an inch of his life.

Ino and Chouji, who had been waiting out of the tree, waiting for him, came up to him. "What happened to you, Shika?" Chouji asked.

Shikamaru looked up at both of them, a dazed look on his face. He quickly looked up at Ino. "Ino, whatever you do, don't talk."

Ino looked surprised, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't talk to anybody, if you insult them in any way, shape, or form…" He didn't finish, he only shuddered.

Ino suddenly had a very bad feeling about this place.

* * *

Hinata was with her team, enjoying some light conversation with them. "I still don't trust that Outcast guy. I think he's hiding something."

Hinata sighed, "Kiba, the sooner you drop this thing the better. He was serious when he said a word and you're dead."

"That still doesn't change the fact he's hiding something." Kiba said.

"You are speculating that he's hiding something. You don't know that for a fact." Shino said, "If he does have something to hide, let him hide it, it's his business. Besides, you do owe him a little respect, he _did_ save your life."

"That was years ago." Kiba said, waving it off.

"Years that you got to spend living." Shino jabbed.

"Why are you taking his side? He's just a pompous idiot who knows how to sound tough."

Suddenly, a dark, deep and dangerous voice said behind him, "So I'm pompous idiot, huh?"

Kiba, Shino, and Hinata all froze in their tracks.

* * *

Tenten, Lee and Neji were sitting underneath a tree, eating lunch. They were silent, letting each to his or her own thoughts.

_"The Outcast seems to be quiet the leader, very strict, but at the same time merciful." _Neji thought, _"No doubt he is also very strong, but you have to wonder why he wears a mask."_

Lee sat quietly and ate his food, _"The Outcast seems quiet un-youthful, yet at the same time he seems to love his people. According to Naruto, that would make him very strong."_ He sighed as he remembered the blond-haired boy that had inspired him so much.

Tenten wasn't eating that much, and her thoughts were of a much more…'simple'…nature. _"The Outcast is soooo hot! I wonder what he looks like under that armor."_

Neji stood up. "Well, I suggest we find something to do."

"I agree." Lee said, "It is rather un-youthful to sit here bored."

"Yeah, there's probably a weapons shop around here somewhere." Tenten said.

As soon as she said the words an old crone that was passing by stopped, "Um, excuse me sweetie, but did you say you're looking for a weapons shop?"

"Yes, why?" Tenten asked.

"Because the best shop in the Haven is down the street and to your left, it's called, Tekka's or something or other."

"Thank you, ma'am." Tenten said before grabbing her partners and dragging them to the shop.

The old crone smiled as they left, _"This is too easy."_

Tenten, dragging her teammates, entered Tekkou's Blacksmith to find a man wearing a leather apron. "Hello, how can I help you?"

"I hear you're the best weapons shop in the Haven." Tenten said.

"Well, it's not polite to brag." Touken said.

"Can I see some of what you have?"

"Of course." Touken said, pulling out piles of swords, Kunai, Bowie knives, Spears, bows, and several other weapons.

Tenten practically drooled over it.

Touken pulled out a long, doubled edged sword. "This one, made of carbon steel, can slice through wood like a knife through hot butter. its double-edged-design allows the wielder to make surprising strikes that can easily catch most ninjas off guard." Touken continued on how the sword was made, including how the steel had been forged ten times to make extremely strong and ridiculously light.

The look on Tenten's face was enough to say how she felt about it. "How much?" She blurted.

"300,000,000 ryo. (≈$30,000,000)"

Tenten looked at him, "300 million for a sword?! Are you insane?!"

Neji suddenly got worried, "Tenten calm down."

"Insane?!" Touken asked, "I poured my sweat, blood, and chakra into this sword. This isn't some toy that you can swing around, this is the greatest sword in all the Haven next to the Outcast's Hoshiken (star blade)."

"That doesn't mean you have to become a tyrant when it comes to prices!"

"Tenten, calm down." Neji pleaded.

"Shut up, Neji!" Tenten said without turning around.

"This is my shop and I can sell things at whatever price I want, and I will not have some weapons amateur tell me otherwise!"

"Amateur? The only amateur here is the guy who sells minimal-grade weapons for ridiculously high prices."

"Minimal-grade? The only thing minimal-grade here is your chest!"

"How dare you!?"

"Tenten." Neji whimpered.

"How dare you insult me, especially when the Outcast told you to behave yourself."

"I don't care about that ugly moron, and he can't tell me to behave any less than you can sell me that cheap piece of metal for 300 million."  
Touken smiled. "Did you hear her, Outcast-sama."

"I did indeed, Touken-san." A deep, dangerous voice said behind Tenten. She slowly turned and she saw the Outcast holding Lee and Neji by the scruff of their necks, "I did indeed."

* * *

Team Gai was dragged to the Council chamber by three masked ninjas that the Outcast had called on. Admittedly, things did not look bright.

When they entered the Chamber, they found the other two teams were being held prisoner too, minus Hinata. Diplomatic immunity definitely had its perks.

Neji turned to Ino, "So what are you guys in for?"

"I insulted someone by not talking to them when they said hi." She said, "You?"

"Tenten got into a fight with a blacksmith over the price of a sword."

"Oh."

"What about Kiba and Shino?" Neji asked.

"I heard that Kiba insulted the Outcast and the Outcast overheard him."

"Ou. That's going to be painful."

"No kidding."

The Outcast sat in his chair, Hinata not to far from him. She was whispering to him in a pleading voice. The Outcast made no reply, not even his body language gave anything away.

The Outcast suddenly raised his hand, cutting Hinata off. She dropped her eyes and backed away. The Outcast stood up to his full height, and said in his deep, dangerous voice. "I welcome you to the Haven with open arms. I put everything I have at your disposal, and this is how you repay me? I overlook your comments of stupidity, and this is how you show your thanks? I give you one condition to follow and you ignore it. Tell me why any of you should live this day out?"

"But, Outcast-dono -." Kiba began.

"Dono?" The Outcast said, "So it's dono now? What happened to pompous idiot? Or do you only bother respect someone when you're staring them in the face?"

Kiba shut up.

"Outcast-sama, with all due respect -." Tenten began

"Yes, calling me an ugly moron is a great way of showing respect."

Tenten stopped there.

Ino didn't say anything.

"Luckily for you, Hyuuga-san has pleaded your case. So instead of execution, you will be given another punishment."

Ino looked up at him, scared, "And what would that be?"

The Outcast looked over them with cold blue eyes. "You must all…dance."

They blinked. Twice. Then twice again. Then Ino spoke up, "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely."

They blinked again.

The Outcast smiled. "Hit it!" he yelled to someone that stood out of sight. Suddenly, music began to play and the masked ninjas cleared the floor.

Everyone looked at each other. Could this guy be serious?

"Well what are you waiting for? Dance!"

The girls instantly reached back into the depths of their memory to their academy days. One of the courses they took was ballet because it increased strength and agility, and being a dancer always made a good cover. They gracefully began to move through a routine that had been embedded into their minds at age five.

The guys looked at each other. Before blundering though some imitation moves that slightly resembled the girl's moves.

The girls, holding out their arms, did a graceful 360 degree turn. Kiba saw this and, with all the grace of a bulldozer, swung his arms around and hit Ino in the face. "Ow!" she yelled.

"Sorry." Kiba said, just in time for Ino to pounce on him, ready to tear him limb from limb.

Tenten saw this, noticing she was the only good dancer, and whispered to Ino. "Ino stop it. We have a routine here."

Ino didn't hear her, and continued to pummel the Inuzuka.

Tenten sighed, before stopping, and holding an apologetic finger up to signal the Outcast to wait only a second, she took out a Billy club, whacked Kiba's head, and dragged Ino back to the front of the room.

When the two girls made their graceful bow, and the boys made a much-less-graceful version of their own bow, the Outcast began to laugh.

Then he laughed harder, and harder, until he actually fell back in his chair and tossed it to the floor, where he continued to laugh. Finally, when he gained enough composure to speak, he stood up, "That was the funniest thing I have ever seen!" He said, "What do you think, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru stepped out of the shadows behind the Outcast and said, "Well, it was well thought out, but the end result was a little troublesome."

The guys finally noticed the Shikamaru wasn't on the council floor.

"What?" The Oucast said, "That was hilarious! What do you think Hinata?"

"I'm sorry, but it _was_ a little lower than your average standard."  
"What!?" The Outcast asked, before sighing. "You guys are impossible, no sense of humor."

"Um…excuse me?" Ino asked.

"Oh, right, the explanation, before I get to that though, Kiba."

"…Yes?" Kiba said.

"You said I had something to hide, didn't you?"

Kiba nodded.

"Well, you were right." The Outcast said, before reaching up to his mask and pulling it down to reveal a young, smiling face of a boy they all knew. "And now I don't."

All seven of the ninjas on the floor fainted, except Shino, who only mumbled under his breath.

* * *

As the eight ninjas returned home to Konoha, they all wore smiles on their faces. They also now carried a secret. A secret that not even the Hokage could know, and that secret they held in their hearts helped them help Konoha live again.

* * *

End Chapter! Next time, Naruto Shows off his SKILLZ!

P.S. I finnally beat the LOTR The Third Age! Whoo hoo! party!


	9. Chapter 9

The white blade crashed against the enemy sword, causing sparks to fly. A quick slash came around, aiming for Naruto's neck. Quickly, Naruto, throwing his sword into the air, rolled underneath the swing, and grabbed the sword as it fell back to earth.

Suddenly, another swing came at him, lower this time. Naruto jumped and flipped over the blade, before slicing at the opponent with his own, making a cut so clean that a hair would have been sliced.

Another blade came at him from behind. Suddenly, the white blade was behind him, stopping the attack. Suddenly, a large hammer dropped from above, trying to smash the blond swordsman. With a quick spin, Naruto just made it out of the path of the large weapon, only to get it the way of a chain whip.

The chain wrapped around the sword, locking it in place. Suddenly, another hammer rose up above his head.

Naruto quickly threw the sword, before spinning out of the way of the second hammer. He quickly pulled out two kunai, and used them to block any more strikes that came at him.

"Alright, Naruto that's enough for today." Vara said as he stopped turning a wheel next to him. The swords began to stop striking, the hammers stopped falling, and the wooden "enemies" stopped spinning.

"What? Already?" Naruto asked as he retrieved his sword from the chain whip.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep this stupid machine running for an hour and a half?"

"Oh, you're just being a big baby." Naruto said, freeing the Hoshiken from the chain. It didn't change too much from when Tenten gave it to him. It still had the ornate, black-and-gold handle, carefully crafted with the thinnest black thread to give it a grip, the gold hand guard was still in good condition, showing the dragon that had been carefully etched into it.

The blade though, had been completely replaced. After a small accident that broke the blade off, Naruto had come across what he believed to be a shooting star. When he saw that it was made of some kind of metal, he immediately began to move it back to the Haven to Touken's shop.

The blacksmith immediately began to work on the metal. Unfortunately, the metal didn't even turn red after four hours in the fire, so Touken began to heat the flames of the forge by using red coral as fuel. Finally, after three hours of the monstrous heat, the metal began to glow a warm red. After another three hours, Touken got to work, giving the blade a double edge, he began working the blade to perfect keenness.

Finally, after six days, the sword was done, complete with a few decorative touches, like the words "Exiled Star" etched in the blade, and the finger guard made from the left over metal.

So far, through all the experimentation made, nothing could dull the blade, much less break it.

In fact there was a running bet that not even Kusanagai could put a dent in it.

The perfectly white blade shone in the sun, reflecting the light perfectly.

Naruto checked his reflection quickly, and noticed a small cut on his cheek. _"I'm still too slow."_He thought, before sheathing the blade. "So what's you plan for lunch, Vara?"

"I'm going to go home and eat some curry."

"Haven't you had curry for the last eight days in a row?"

"Yeah, so?"

Naruto shook his head, "Can you say addiction?"

Vara's eyes turned a steel blue, like Naruto's "Can you say Ramen obsession?"

"It is not an obsession!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is-. Hang on a second, am I really that annoying?"

Vara smiled, "You have your moments."

Naruto shrugged, "I can live with that. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Shut up!"

"Never!"

"Shut up or I'll shut you up myself!"

"I'd love to see you try!"

"Well then come here!"

"Make me!"

"Fine! I will!" Naruto said before jumping up to the balcony where Vara stood.

Vara crouched, readying himself for an attack.

Naruto landed on the balcony and then jumped towards Vara, tackling him. They rolled across the balcony, laughing as they playfully punched each other. When they finished their mock fight, Naruto got up and helped Vara up with a helping hand. "So what's the report on the Kumo movements?"

Vara's eye color changed again, this time to a light green. "Well, according to the latest reports, roughly three teams have penetrated our line of defense and have made it into Earth and Fire country."

"Hm." Naruto said. "Have we sent anyone after these teams?"

"No sir. They didn't seem worth it. Why?"

Naruto smiled, "I feel like a hunt."

"Who would you like to join you?"

"Well, I need a good tracker. What do you think of Felicia?"

"An excellent choice, sir."

"What about Itachi? Do you think it's a wise choice to bring him along?"

"Only if you leave no survivors, sir."

"Hm, I'll think about it." He said before going silent to think. "Who else should I bring with me?"

"Well, according to our spy network, Miss Hyuuga is a very skilled at Taijutsu."

"Do you really think I should bring her?"

"Why not? I'm sure she would like to see the Outcast in action."

"You think so?"

"I'm sure."

"Alright." Naruto said standing up, "Bring Miss Hyuuga, Mr. Uchiha, and Madam Felicia to my office."

"Yes sir." Vara said, before disappearing.

* * *

Hinata

, Itachi, and Felicia all walked into Naruto's office.

"Nice new look, Itachi." Naruto said as he checked over Itachi's new clothes.

The new Exile was dressed in a black trench coat, with grey trimmings and large pockets. His board-brimmed, black hat sat tilted forward on his head so it just hid his eyes. Underneath his trench coat, he wore a black shirt and a pair of black pants. Around his waist he wore two criss-crossing belts that came together at a single, silver belt buckle. "Much obliged, Outcast-sama." Itachi said.

"Much obliged?" Naruto asked, confused "What's that all about?"

"I'm just trying out a new way of talking."

"Well don't, it's freaky." Naruto said.

Felicia got a big smile on her face and she turned to Itachi.

"Not a word." He said.

Felicia turned back around, the smile still on her lips.

"Anyways," Naruto said, standing up, "We've gotten news of three Kumo teams that have gotten past our line of defense and entered Fire territory, and while they are just three teams, I won't have Konoha think we're slaking off. So I have chosen you three to accompany me on a search and destroy mission. No survivors."

"Isn't that a little harsh?" Felicia asked.

"No, not considering I want to test Itachi and keep him secret at the same time." Naruto replied.

"Then if you want to test Itachi, then why did you choose us too?" Hinata asked.

"Because both you and Felicia have superb tracking abilities and according to a few of our spies, you have greatly imported in Taijutsu and I want to see what you've got."

"Oh…Thank you."

"I'm in." Itachi said.

"Ditto." Felicia said.

Hinata was the only one who hesitated. She didn't really want to leave at the moment, but she really wanted to impress Naruto. No, she reeeeaaaallllllyyy wanted to impress Naruto. But she didn't want to leave the Haven and enter a world of war and violence. "I-I'll go." She said, finally conceding to her urge to impress him.

"Great, meet me at the dock in twenty minutes." Naruto said, before he got up and headed to the stairs that led to his room.

* * *

The four ninjas stood at the dock, Naruto was dressed in full gear, complete with his mask, hood, Hoshiken, and a scroll.

Itachi stood in his heavy boots, trench coat and hat.

Felicia was now dressed in a black vest, steel-plated braces, complete with the mark of the Exile, and a black skirt that came down to her knees.

Hinata wore her usual clothes along with her twin Katars hanging by her side in two custom made sheaths.

"Ready to move out?" Naruto asked.

"Yup." Felicia said.

"Alright, we'll head eastward," Naruto said, "according to the recon nins, they are planning a northern infiltration of Konoha. So we should run into them, and if we don't, then you guys will pick up their trail." He said, pointing to Hinata and Felicia.

"Sounds like a plan." Itachi said, pulling his hat lower over his eyes.

* * *

Naruto

jumped silently among the trees. It was almost like he no longer had a corporal form, it was as if he was only wind that had taken Naruto's shape.

Felicia was almost as quiet.

Itachi and Hinata weren't as quiet. Every time a noise over a decibel originated from the two, Felicia would look back and give them a strict but silent "Sshh."

Suddenly, Naruto held up his hand.

Everyone stopped.

With a deafening silence, Naruto dropped to the forest floor. He crouched against the floor, staying there silently until he stuck two fingers in the air and brought them down and forward, signaling the others to come down.

Felicia was first, she jumped from her perch, falling to the ground in spread eagle, before landing without a sound. She crawled over to where Naruto was and looked at where he was pointing.

Itachi and Hinata landed beside her.

"Yup," Felicia said, "Regulation Kumo ninja sandals, available at any hardware store."

"How old is the trail?" Naruto asked.

Felicia took several short sniffs. "A half a day at most."

"Alright, let's move out." Naruto said, before blurring.

The rest followed shortly.

* * *

Dusk settled over the forest, a wind blew through the clearing, causing the leaves to dance around the campsite. The three Kumo nins just sat in the silence. One of them sat at the fire, poking at the flaming wood with a long stick. Another sat near the first, eating a fowl leg. The third was pacing nervously. "How can you sit there so calm, Kain (Cause of Trouble)? Don't you know the Outcast lives in this territory?"

"I'm telling you, Kentou (Be found), The Outcast is a myth made by the Exiles for a scare tactic, there is no Outcast, why else would we have not seen him on the battlefield?"

Kentou continued his pacing, all the while fingering the kunai holster on his leg.

In the darkness outside the clearing, four figures smiled.

After a good ten minutes of pacing, Kentou finally calmed down enough to sit, where he tried to enjoy a meal.

Suddenly, movement in front of him caugh his attention.

He and the others looked up to find a man wearing a black trench coat, a broad-brimmed hat, a black shirt and pants, two criss-crossing belts, and two heavy black-leather boots.

"Howdy." The man said.

Kain slowly pulled out a kunai. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Me? Oh, just taking a stroll."

The three nins looked at each other, cautiously and stealthily moving for their weapons. "We were just checking things out."

"I see." The man said. "Well I'm gonna hafta ask you to leave."

"Why?" One of the Kumo nins asked.

"Because the landowner don't want you here, so git."

"Well I'm afraid -."the Kumo nin said, suddenly throwing a kunai at the man.

The man suddenly moved, dogging the kunai, and pulling out one of his own. He threw his own kunai at the man, and began running behind it, so as soon as the Kumo nin dodged, the man in the black coat hit him with a powerful kick.

Suddenly another man moved, holding his kunai in a reverse grip, he charged the coat wearing man, hoping to stab him in the throat. The Kumo nin was stopped by a feline woman with cat ears and a tail, and a swift kick to the gut. "I'm sorry but your request to kill my partner is denied."

Then the third one, Kentou, tried to make his move, only to be stopped by a Hyuuga wielding two katars, her Byakugan was active, and her glare was fierce. "Leave, now."

"Who's going to make me?" Kentou asked.

Hinata didn't respond, but she slipped into her Jyuuken stance.

* * *

Naruto

watched them from a distance, smiling. Itachi had these guys when he first entered the field. He could see it in the way Itachi held himself. It was relaxed, and yet at the same time, ready for anything.

He then shifted his gaze to Hinata. Her quick, agile slices was leaving her opponent in slices. Her fast strikes, paired with unpredictable movements showed her to be quiet proficient. Her katar were proving quiet dangerous and deadly, and her strikes were no doubt powerful.

Suddenly a thought hit him. He checked over everything he had just thought. _"Fast, unpredictable, agile, dangerous, deadly, powerful."_

Naruto's eyes suddenly widened.

He had just found the Raiken's stance.

* * *

Hinata

finished her opponent with a quick thrust to the intestine, so the bile would slowly poison his own blood, before knocking him out cold. She turned in time to see Felicia use her nails, now extended into six-inch claws, to slice at a mans throat. He fell with only the gurgle of blood in his wind-pipe. She then turned to Itachi, who had his opponent against a tree, with his old ANBU sword at the man's neck.

"Hold." A voice said from the trees.

Itachi nodded and backed away slightly.

The Outcast suddenly dropped from the trees, his white coat flowing around him. His stood, his green armor barely visible. Hoshiken sparkled in its sheath. The Outcast slowly walked to the opponent. And smiled under his mask. "So you don't believe in me?"

"Please, you're not The Outcast." Kain said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because no one as powerful as 'the Outcast' would care for those shi-." Kain's explanation was cut off by Hoshiken slicing through his throat.

"Unless he was one." Naruto said, before turning to his teammates, "Come on, we have two more teams to catch."

* * *

Itachi

cleaned his sword on the clothes of his victim. This team was a little too easy, they weren't prepared for anything, it was almost as if they weren't expecting any attack whatsoever. Obviously they were new Chuunins who needed a serious lesson in detection. Or did they? Itachi took a quick look around, left, right, up, behind, that left down, but Kumo nins weren't known for their earth jutsu, so the possibility of them burying in the ground was small, but still. He turned to Hinata, "Miss Hyuuga, could you check the area for us?" He said, pointing downwards.

"Right away." Hinata said, activating her Byakugan. She first looked straight down into the ground.

A chakra signature.

"No, there's nothing there." She said, nodding her head.

Itachi nodded, before jumping in the air, just as a Kumo nin broke from the ground. He got three feet in the air before six shuriken seemed to grow from his chest. The man fell to the ground dead.

"Alright, I'm bored." Felicia said as she began to gather her shuriken.

* * *

Hinata

quickly spun out of the way of another strike made by the Kumo nin, who had obviously never fought against anything other than a training dummy. "Stop moving you d****ed whore."

"Hey, don't you know your manners?" Felicia asked as she kicked the man. "Never use curse words in front of a lady."

"Arg! You B***h!" The man said as he took another swing.

"B***h? I'm a cat, not a dog, moron."

"Shut up!" The Kumo nin said, throwing a kunai at her, which just scratched her cheek.

Suddenly he felt smothered by a heavy Killing intent. The man turned to see a man with a black trench coat and a braod-brimmed hat. "Did you just hurt my friend? And call her a b***h?"

"Uh."

"That's what I thought." Itachi said before slicing the man's head off.

* * *

"So how did you like the hunting trip?" Naruto asked as the four of them sat around a campfire.

"I'm a little disappointed." Itachi said, "I was hoping Kumo would send something better."

"Well their problem is that their trying to break through our wall," Naruto said, "Their hard pressed for Shinobi so they're probably promoting everyone and anyone they can."

"That's still no excuse for the shody work." Itachi mumbled.

"I rather enjoyed it," Felicia said, "Of course, I love to mess with people's minds and I needed the exercise." Felicia said as she stretched before wrapping herself into a ball near the fire.

Itachi couldn't help himself and began scratching the back of her ear.

Felicia purred.

"So what about you Hinata?"

She looked up at him and grinned, but the grin faded as soon as she looked away.

"I thought so." Naruto said, standing up, "Hinata, why don't you take a walk with me?" He asked.

She looked up at him before nodding and standing up.

Naruto led her into the woods, where the moon was shining brightly. Naruto went a ways before stopping. "You did excellent today." He said.

"I did?"

"Absolutely, in fact, watching you today has finally given me a way to complete the Soshiken (element fist)."

"Really?"

"Yes, and so," he said turning to her and bowing, "I ask you to train me in the ways of the Jyuuken."

She blinked.

Naruto looked up and smiled, "Just the physical stances, you can keep the chakra attacks."

She blinked again.

"So do you accept to train me, Hinata-sensei?"

"I…uh…sure?"

"Excellent!" Naruto said, "We begin tomorrow!"

* * *

End chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

Hinata took a swig of water as she watched Naruto.

Apparently his horrible Taijutsu back in the day was caused because of a lack of a good teacher, because Naruto was quick to learn. In less than six hours he had the basics down, and after another three he was performing the harder and finer points of the Taijutsu with ease.

Just as she thought it, Naruto quickly threw a powerful palm thrust towards the training dummy, and then used his arm to pivot his whole body so that his legs came into contact with the dummy's head. After three quick, blur-like kicks to the head, Naruto jumped off the dummy and landed back in the Jyuuken stance.

The dummy's head fell off.

Naruto smiled, "Boo-ya."

"Alright Naruto," Hinata asked, "What was that?"

"Just trying something out." Naruto replied.

"Well I'd wish you'd stop, were running out of training dummies."

Naruto took a quick look at the pile of wood and straw that held all of the used dummies. The pile was a little taller than Naruto.

"Well, maybe." He said.

Hinata shook her head. "Alright, time for a spar." She said, before slipping in the Jyuuken stance. "No chakra attacks and no weapons, solely physical hits."

"Bring it." Naruto said, a smile on his face. The two glared at each other with mock stares before charging. Hinata threw a palm thrust at Naruto's chin, which he expertly dodged and counter-attacked with a mean right hook.

Hinata leaned back at an impossible angle to remain standing up to dodge the strike, and then launched three strikes in quick succession.

Naruto used his forearm to push the strikes away before going for a strike to Hinata's stomach, which was expertly dodged with a quick back-step.

Naruto attacked with three more quick strikes to Hinata's arms, legs and head.

Hinata moved around the strikes with ease before hitting Naruto's shoulder.

The moment she did though, Naruto's own attack got her in the stomach.

They both retreated for a moment, gathering together their strength. Naruto charged first, followed by Hinata. They met in the center of the field, throwing ruthless strikes.

The match kept up like this, with each round ending in simultaneous strikes.

They were about to begin the sixth round when Niligol showed up. "Outcast-san!" He cried.

"Hang on, Hinata, this is important." Naruto said, relaxing.

Hinata nodded and slipped out of her stance.

"Shoot, Niligol." Naruto said.

"We have word of three teams of Kumo nins encroaching on the Haven."

Hinata, in that moment saw Naruto change. All of the good in him was suddenly replaced with anger. The Outcast grabbed Niligol by the collar. "Where?"

"Three miles east. They got past the Genjutsu marker."

Naruto dropped the scarred man. "They'll wish they hadn't." He said before disappearing in a yellow flash.

Niligol came over to Hinata. "Come on miss, let's get you home."

* * *

The Kumo nins jumped through the forest, bent on finding and taking out the Outcast. They were home sick, and battle weary, so these three teams came up with a plan, they were going to find the Outcast and kill him, then go back to the village to be excepted as Heroes and let all of the other losers fight for them.

All in all, it was a good plan, except for the figure who sat in the trees, unseen by their own eyes.

As the three teams made camp that night, the figure watched them with cold, read, angry eyes.

After the camp had been set up, three of the ninjas, one from each team set up watch. The figure watched them for an hour, before making his move.

When it was time for the watch to change, three more ninjas woke up and went outside, only to find no one was there.

Unless you count the three decapitated bodies hanging from vines.

The three ninjas backed up and woke the other three.

The six ninjas were now carefully patrolling the area, using whatever weapon they had to try and scare the enemy away.

One of them sighed and sat down. "Alright guys, I think he's gone, we haven't heard anything for a while." Suddenly, a rope tightened around the ninjas legs, and before he could scream, he was dragged into the forest.

The remaining five ninjas huddled together, their weapons out, carefully treading to make sure they didn't step in another trap.

Suddenly, a voice echoed around the clearing. "You think that you can just walk up to my home?" The voice asked, killing intent lacing the words. "You have the gall to threaten both Konoha and me?"

The five remaining ninjas began to cower.

"Well this is what happens to those who think they can get away with that." As soon as he said the words, a figure dropped from the trees, but was stopped short by two ropes wrapped around his arms. It was the ninja that had just disappeared into the forest, and he was headless.

The body swung for a second before the other ninjas began to silently panic.

The sound of a deep inhale was heard. **"Fear. I love the smell of fear." **The voice began to sound demonic, as if Lucifer himself had said the words.

The ninja were shaking like Genin facing a Jounin's killing intent.

Suddenly a figure appeared before them. He wore a black mask and hood, with a headband of a dead village around his head. A white coat with red flames licking at the hem covered green armor. In his hand was a sword that gave a soft, white glow. His red eyes seemed to hold them in a demonic stare. **"It's too late to run. It's too late to apologize. And now, your lives are forfeit." **

One of the ninjas, gather what strength and wit he had, charged the Outcast, kunai in hand.

The man was four feet away before an arch of light appeared and spilt the kunai he was holding in half.

The Kumo nin's eye widened before the shimmering blade went through his stomach. The man fell to the ground without a sound, dead. The Outcast reached down and pulled the headband off the man, before making three quick slashes in the forehead, the 'N' of death had struck.

The other nins cowered.

As they should.

Another one, figuring he was going to die anyway, charged the Outcast, but not before the Outcast had finished performing a series of handsigns. **"Chaos Spear jutsu!"** The Outcast cried, as his arm was suddenly covered in a powerful, blue-white-grey energy. Just as the Kumo nin was within range, the energy released itself, blowing a foot-diameter hole in the ninjas stomach.

"**Next." **The Outcast said, as the ninja who charged him fell to the ground.

The ninjas didn't move.

"**If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you." **The Outcast said, taking a step forward that shook the earth beneath them.

* * *

That morning, The Outcast's warning now had nine more heads to add to the collection.

* * *

Naruto was walking back to the Haven. He chose to take the scenic route that day for whatever reason that was obscure to him.

Some would call it fate, other destiny, others still would call it blind luck, but that day was the beginning of a change in the world.

A kunai landed in front of the Namikaze, who, on instinct, drew Hoshiken from its sheath.

A voice that seemed eerily familiar to Naruto echoed through the forest. "Hm, let me see. Yondaime coat, doubled edged blade, giant N on breastplate. You have to be him."

Naruto kept his voice as calm as possible, "Who and where are you?"

"I honestly thought that the mighty and indomitable Outcast would know where his enemy is." The voice taunted.

Naruto's grip on Hoshiken tightened, as a feeling of familiarity snuck on him.

It hit him like a punch from Lee.

"Well, well, if it isn't _the_ Uchiha." He said, his voice giving away nothing.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a young man with raven black hair, and onyx eyes dropped from the branches above. He wore a black coat with red clouds decorating its front and sides, and a long sword hung from the small of his back. He wore no headband.

"So, the traitor returns." The Outcast said, "Or at least, you better hope he does." He said, raising Hoshiken to the Uchiha's throat.

Sasuke's hand was already on his own hilt. "Now, now, I'm not here for a fight. I only want to talk."

The Outcast's eyes narrowed, before lowering the thin, white blade. "What do you want, traitor?"

"I'm here to ask if you have seen my brother, Uchiha Itachi."

Naruto looked at him for a second before replying, "The only traitor I have seen in this forest and let live is you." Naruto said, "And Itachi is still alive."

Sasuke looked at him for a moment. He could tell that both statements were perfectly true, but they seemed a little off. Or maybe it was only this guy's mask. "Why do you wear a mask?" He asked, mostly to himself.

The Outcast smiled behind the black cloth. "You are Uchiha Sasuke, age: eighteen, rank: missing nin, date of birth: July 23, blood type: AB, registration number: 012606, you have completed seven D-ranks, one C-rank, two B-ranks, and six A-rank missions. You graduated the academy at age twelve, you achieved the full Sharingan at thirteen, and you have yet to pass the Chuunin exams. Your teammates were Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and your sensei was Hatake Kakashi. You have one older brother, Uchiha Itachi, who killed your entire clan, except you. You were the number one rookie of your graduating academy class, you find Sakura's constant affection annoying, and you are considered very handsome by every girl near your age." The Outcast smiled bigger, "The fact of the matter is, Sasuke, that I can tell you more about your life than most, and you don't even know my real name."

Sasuke looked at him. "So you know some facts, but you still don't know who I am."

"On the contrary." The Outcast said. "You and your teammate, Uzumaki Naruto, quickly began a rivalry that slowly turned into a full-blown friendship, even though neither of you would admit it. You finally beginning to enjoy life when the Sound Four, Orochimaru's personal bodyguards, showed up and offered you power. You and your stuck up ego accepted and you left the village. Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Hyuuga Neji, and Inuzuka Kiba were all sent after you. All of them were held back by the Sound except Uzumaki, who fought you at the Valley of the End. You two had a fight, one of the greatest fights of all Ninjadom, he using Kyuubi's power, and you that of the cursed seal. The fight lasted for hours, sometimes you were winning the fight, other times Uzumaki was. Then it came down to one final attack, a Chidori versus a Rasengan. Both of you jumped at each other, and both attacks collided and you miraculously remained conscious afterwards. You escaped, and Naruto-san was brought back to Konoha only to be exiled as a traitor."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, "Naruto was exiled?"

"Yes, and it's all because you decided to leave the village and become something worse than Itachi."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Itachi killed and left for power, but he still spared you and his teammates. You wouldn't let anyone stand in your way, to you if they died it meant nothing."

"I had a reason to leave." Sasuke said, anger rising.

"Maybe Itachi had a reason too." Naruto said.

"He had no other reason than power!" Sasuke yelled.

"Neither did you!" The Outcast yelled back, "You were so desperate for power that you would grovel before a snake and his boy toys. You were so desperate for power that you would look anywhere and everywhere for power. You were so desperate that if all of Konoha died to give you power, you would think it no great loss." Naruto looked into the black eyes of his once friend, "I'm sure if your family was still alive, and they stood in your way, you would have killed them all in their sleep, down to the last child. There is nothing special about you. You are just a less skilled Itachi."

Sasuke grabbed his sword, ready to skewer this man who knew nothing about his life. He wanted to fry this man with every lightning jutsu he had. He wanted to kill the man who had just insulted him to no end. He wanted to call his team to surprise the man and hang his head from his own post.

The Outcast sheathed his own blade. "Now leave this forest before I decide that your life isn't worth sparing. And take your friends with you."

So much for a surprise attack. Sasuke growled, "Juugo, Karin, Suigetsu, were leaving." Sasuke turned back to watch the Outcast go, only to see air. The Outcast was gone, he left without a word, and without a sound.

As Sasuke headed back to the Akatsuki hideout, the Outcast's words reverberated in his head, _"It's all because you decided to leave the village and become something worse than Itachi, you were so desperate for power that you would look anywhere and everywhere for power, Itachi killed and left for power, but he still spared you and his teammates. You wouldn't let anyone stand in your way, to you if they died it meant nothing, you were so desperate for power that you would grovel before a snake and his boy toys, I'm sure if your family was still alive, and they stood in your way, you would have killed them all in their sleep, down to the last child, you were so desperate that if all of Konoha died to give you power, you would think it no great loss, there is nothing special about you. You are just a less skilled Itachi."_

The last one rung like a bell in his head.

"_There is nothing special about you. You are just a less skilled Itachi."_

* * *

Naruto walked back into the Haven, slightly sullen.

No one asked why.

They knew that many times, their Outcast became inexplicably sullen and no one could cheer him up.

Naruto wandered the streets, his eyes glazed over and his mouth in a frown. Anyone who smiled his way was met by a undefeatable frown, which quickly conquered the face of the one who smiled at him.

His very being seemed to scream that he was sullen, gloomy, and alone.

Then, as if his mood controlled the weather, it began to rain.

People scrambled to their houses, trying to avoid the small droplets of water. When the streets were clear, the rain began to fall harder, leaving only Naruto in the streets that were slowly turning to mud. The whole sky turned a bleak grey, and the rain just kept falling. He was almost thankful for the rain; it hid his tears from the world.

He stood there as the sky watered the world beneath, letting the rain hit him as he stood resolute.

He many times felt like this; it was him against the world. He had to stand unbreakable as the world pelted him with thousands of poison arrows. His stand was slowly killing him inside, but he had stand or no else would. He had to stand so everyone could look to him for strength. He had to stand so that the people around could pick up the pieces of their lives and put it back together, when he hadn't even picked up his own life.

But that was what being a leader was about.

He had to find the strength even though he didn't have it. He had to hold everything together, even though his own world was falling apart. He had to make sure everyone was safe, even though his own life was constantly in danger. He had to be resolute, even though he felt a soft as mud. He had to constantly get back up, even though he flet like just lying down and dying.

He had to be everything for these people, because without him, he wasn't sure if they would last. He had to be their protector, or they would succumb to fear and doubt. He had to be the unstoppable Outcast, when he was nothing more than a young man, just eighteen. He had to live up to expectations that were almost unreachable.

He just couldn't do it all.

He looked up at the grey sky, blinking away tears and raindrops alike, asking whatever god was out there why he had been exiled.

But God always has a plan, with your best interests in mind.

Naruto heard a splash behind him. He slowly turned to see Hinata running at him, her eyes held a joyful light in them, as her smile struck at something in his heart. She ran up to him and embraced him in a tight hug. "Oh Naruto-kun, you're back!" She said, burying her head into his chest. "I was worried about you." She said.

He looked down at her in surprise and acute shock as she held him tighter to her.

She had been worried?

"I'm so glad you're back." She said to him, glad for the rain, its cold drops kept her blush from showing.

She was glad?

Did that mean she cared?

Naruto looked down at her, before wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you." He whispered.

Hinata began pulling back slightly, "Let's get you inside, we don't need the Outcast catching a cold."

Naruto smiled at her, "Sure."

* * *

Hinata brought him to her tree house, and prepared two warm cups of tea. As the kettle sat on the stove that was hooked up to a hidden generator that she had yet to find, Hinata and Naruto sat together on a large couch.

"Thank you for inviting me, Hinata." Naruto said.

"It's the least I can do." She said.

They sat in silence for a while. Naruto began to feel more and more relaxed as he sat next to Hinata. Hinata was getting redder and redder as she sat next to Naruto. A lightning bolt struck outside.

"Do you think it's safe for the Exiles to live in tree houses with storms like this?" Hinata asked.

"Oh, don't worry about." Naruto said, "I have a lightning rod attached to the most of the trees with a ground wire going around the house, everyone's perfectly safe."

"You must be an excellent architect to think about that." Hinata said.

"Well…actually I learned from experience." Naruto admitted.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"My first tree house kinda burned to the ground." Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.

Hinata blinked "Was everyone ok?"

"Oh, sure, no one was in the house at the time, and there was only one lightning strike."

"That's good." Hinata said.

"Yeah it was." Naruto said, trying to find something to keep the awkward silence away.

He couldn't find anything.

So that sat in an awkward silence, Naruto scrambling to find something to say, and Hinata trying to gather the courage to say what she wanted to say.

"N-Naruto-kun." She said.

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?"

"I-I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"I-I want to say," She looked up at him, her courage starting to falter, "that I-I-I-."  
The teapot whistled.

"Never mind." Hinata said, dropping her head and standing up to get the tea.

* * *

End of Chapter. Poor Hinata.


	11. Chapter 11

Author note: I never knew a single cooking utensil could get so many enemies in so little time.

* * *

Itachi stood in the center of a training ground, listening. His sparring partner was hiding in the thick undergrowth normally found in Haven training areas.

A bush beside him rustled.

Itachi slowly pulled out a kunai, and waited, only for a small rabbit to jump out of the bushes. Itachi looked as if he relaxed, but his muscles were wound tighter than ever.

A swallow flew overhead.

Itachi scanned the area again, watching for even the smallest detail that was even a tiny bit out of place.

Silence.

Itachi's grip on the kunai tightened until his knuckles shone white.

A snap sounded behind him.

Itachi, in a move as fast as sound, threw his kunai at the origin of the sound.

Only for the kunai to bury itself into a tree trunk.

Itachi pulled out another kunai, his sweaty hand almost causing him to drop it.

"_Why did I agree to this again?"_ Itachi wondered as he gripped his small weapon.

The branches danced in the wind.

Itachi slowly closed his eyes and pushed some chakra into his ears. His enhanced hearing heard everything from his own heartbeat to the sound of the Exile merchants hawking their wares a half a mile away.

His hearing stretched against the whole training area, trying to find the one sound he was looking for.

A leaf broke off its branch.

Itachi's eyes snapped open.

Quickly, he found the origin of the sound and threw his kunai at the area. He was awarded with Felicia jumping out of the trees. She landed in a crouch in front of him. "Not bad, weasel-kun." She said with a smile on her face.

"Not too bad yourself, Neko-chan." Itachi said as he drew his sword.

"Oh, that is such a sharp sword, Weasel-kun, can you promise me that you won't hurt me~?" she asked, widening her eyes and sticking her lower lip into a pout, giving him a look that she knew Itachi could never resist.

"I-I-I-." he shook his head, "Stop it! Using 'The Look' is not fair!"

She stuck her lip out more.

"Stop it!"

She widened her eyes more.

"Stop it!" Itachi said pathetically.

She continued to look at him.

"It's not fair!" Itachi yelled.

"All is fair in love and war, Weasel-kun." Felicia said, pouncing on him, and planting a big kiss on his lips. Her pounce pulled him to the ground. She held him to the ground and stared into his two black eyes. "And that's the way I like it."

Itachi smiled. "It seems you haven't changed much."

"Well, like I said all those years ago, I like things to remain constant, I've had enough change in my life."

Someone coughed.

Both Itachi and Felicia looked to where the sound came from and found Naruto. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He said.

"Nope, we were just finishing a spar." Felicia said as she got up, and helped Itachi to his feet.

"That's good, because I need both of you to do something for me."

"What?" Itachi asked.

"I need you to substitute for Gaara today. There doing a class on forest hiding and Gaara still can't do that to save his life. Do you think you can do it?"

"Easily." Felicia said.

Itachi looked at her but made no comment against her.

"Thanks, guys." Naruto said before jumping into the canopy of leaves above him.

"You know," Itachi said, "You really should talk to me before you jump for a job."

Felicia smiled mischievously, "What? It the mighty Itachi afraid of a bunch of ten year olds?"

"Sasuke was a handful at six."

"That doesn't mean a thing." Felicia said, her tail flipping through the air, "Kids can get very mature when need be."

"Maturity is not the problem. They're ten. If they're mature ten-year-olds, then they'll act ten. I need them to be over mature."

Felicia shook her head, "Oh come on, you'll like this."

"Yeah, just like the way I love drowning."

Felicia smiled and shook her head as she led Itachi to the school room. "Come on, and be ready to make an entrance, that's always fun."

Itachi grumbled.

* * *

Gaara stood in front of his class.

No one breathed.

"Now class, today you are going to work on learning to use your surroundings to make you invisible."

A student raised his hand.

"Yes, Kimyou (Curious)?"

"You said 'you' does that mean that you aren't teaching us today?"

"Correct."

The class let out a collective sigh of relief.

"But," Gaara said.

The class silenced itself.

"If I get so much as one negative word of your behavior, well, let's just say it won't be pretty."

The class collectively gulped.

Gaara smiled, "Now please welcome your sensei for the day." Gaara said, pointing to the door, "Felicia and Uchiha Itachi."

Suddenly, the window behind him shattered, and a black and red form flew into the classroom. It was Felicia in her black battle gear and a cat mask over her face, giving the impression that she was some elite ANBU.

Another window broke behind the class, and they turned to see a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a black trench coat. "Howdy."

Gaara looked at the two of them. He sighed, then turned for the door, "The both of you owe me a window each." He said before exiting the classroom.

* * *

Naruto sat at his desk, back to his happy-go-lucky self. In front of him sat a large scroll on seals that one of the Exiles collected while training under several sensei.

Upon asking about what kind of seals they were, Naruto suddenly found himself holding the scroll. "Why don't you just keep it." He had said, "I've got them memorized anyways."

So now Naruto was pouring over them, studding each and every step for the specific strokes of each seal.

It was a very large scroll, filled with hundreds of seals, everything from your basic storage seal to the most complex paralyzing seal.

He now sat over a chakra-storage seal, according to the scroll, it allows the user to store month's worth of chakra at a time, and actually after a while, it began to copy the chakra to practically synthesize more, kind of like a bank account and interest.

The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that he need at least four of them, one at each corner of the Haven.

"_**Why? You have a practically inexhaustible amount right here."**_ A voice said in his head.

"_Well, well, the demon speaks." _Naruto thought to the giant fox locked in his stomach. _"I haven't heard from you in a long time, Kitsune-teme."_

"_**Well, after what you did to me all those years ago left a sore spot, I just wanted to drop a hint."**_

"_Drop another one and we'll have a repeat of what happened."_

Kyuubi growled, _**"Curse that stupid squid-ox, teaching you that jutsu. You know he never liked to begin with."**_

"_I wonder why."_

"_**Bah, that's what I get for talking to humans like you."**_

"_So then, why did you talk?"_

"_**I'm bored, alright! There is nothing in here! The only thing I can do is measure how long I've been in here with that incessant dripping!"**_

"_Cry me a river, then I'll build a bridge, and then you can get over it. What's the count, by the way?"_

"_**3,000,000,023,793,343,123,479. Sorry, 480."**_

"_So if I found you something to do, would you shut up?"_

"_**Yes."**_

"_Alright." _Naruto said, closing his eyes to concentrate. He imagined a large chew toy, taller than himself, and extremely durable.

"_**Are you kidding me?"**_He heard Kyuubi say, _**"I'm not some pooch here, I'm a fox."**_

"_So you don't want it?"_

"_**I never said that." **_The Fox protested. _**"I just said that I don't like how you are equating a fox to a dog."**_

"_Do you want the toy or not?"_

Kyuubi hesitated, _**"Yes…?"**_

"_Then take it and shut up."_

"_**Insolent Human!" **_Kyuubi yelled, _**"No one talks to me with such a tone!"**_

"_Fine, then I'll just take the toy and-."_

"_**Just kidding!"**_ Kyuubi yelled, _**"I'm just kidding, I'd never do -."**_

"_Just take the toy and shut up."_

"_**Alright."**_

Naruto felt the Fox return to the depths of his subconscious, before taking a deep sigh. "That stupid Fox will be the death of me." He whispered under his breath before continuing his research on the seal.

* * *

Hinata made her way to Naruto's office, hoping to see if he wasn't busy so she could be with him a bit.

He sandaled feet barely made a sound on the dirt road, and if they did, it wouldn't be heard over the hustle and bustle of the street.

Hinata smiled as she watched the Exiles. They never demanded anything, they barely had any pride, making them, agreeable, and wonderful people. They never judged each other, and always kept stories from getting blown out of proportion. They also kept crime to a minimal, but that was probably because each shop owner knew at least six C-rank jutsu.

"Hey, Hinata-san!" a voice called out behind her. Hinata turned to see a blond haired woman and a tall, dark-skinned man with sunglasses, they both wore a Kumo headband with the Mark of the Exile surrounding the clouds.

"Ah, Yugito-san, Killer Bee-san, what are you guys doing here?"

"We live here, obviously." Yugito said wait a mischievous smile.

Hinata discreatly rolled her eyes. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

"Well, figuring that you only know The Outcast, I figured that you needed a friend here, after all, you are going to be living here for who knows how long."

"Can you give me the short version?" Hinata asked, trying not to sound harsh.

"Want to go shop?" Yugito asked.

Hinata looked up to Killer Bee. "Why are we bringing him?"

"Because we need someone to carry all of the bags." Yugito said smiling evilly.

Killer Bee mumbled, "I knew this would turn out bad for me."

* * *

Felicia and Itachi stood in the middle of a large clearing on the island. "You're a pretty good teacher, Felicia." Itachi said to her.

"I try." Felicia said, "Alright everyone, you can come out now."

A few faces popped out of the bushes.

Felicia looked at them. "You all fail my little test."

"What?" The kids asked.

Itachi explained, "You just gave away your positions. No matter what, you never give your positions unless directed otherwise by a superior."

"But aren't you are superiors?" one of the kids asked.

"Yes, but Feilica told you specifically before hand to hide from us as if we were enemies."

One of the kids looked very depressed. "She did say that, didn't she?"

"Yes she did." Itachi said with a smile.

Felicia took a quick look around, before pointing to the kids that had revealed themselves, "Alright, you guys, try and find your classmates, the one who brings me the most gets an A."

The kids jumped, searching for their teammates. After twenty minutes, Felicia told them to stop, and bring everyone they had found forward. Each child brought at least three classmates, where as one of them brought forth six.

"Very impressive." Felicia said to the first found students. "Now, all students who have just been found, you must try to find the rest of the hidden students. The one who brings me the most gets an A."

The other students jumped into the forest, trying to find the remaining classmates. When they were done, all but one student was accounted for.

"Excellent." Felicia said, smiling. "The exercise is over. Nobu, you get an A+. All those who were found get a B-, except those who found the most, who get the promised A."

Everyone bowed, "Thank you Felicia-sensei, and Itachi-sensei."

When the students left, Felicia turned to Itachi, "So Weasel-kun, was it really that bad?"

Itachi looked at her before closing his eyes and smiling, "It could have been worse."

* * *

Killer Bee, stronger than most men, rivaling that of an Ox, was bent under his burden of a thousand bags, containing whatever the girls laid their hands on.

"Ooh, Hinata, look at this comb!"

"Oh, oh, Yugito, you have to see this skirt!"

"Whoa, look at this price!"

"Where?"

This continued on for an hour or so, all the while, Killer Bee felt as if his spine was going to snap.

"Oh my-." Yugito stated as her eyes beheld a beautiful golden necklace, decorated with a gorgeous green emerald, with the Kanji for 'sweet' carefully etched into its face.

"Oh, I want that." Hinata said, pulling out her wallet, only to find it disappointingly empty.

"Don't worry, I'll buy it for you." Yugito said, pulling out her own wallet. She opened it and frowned. "Or I would." She said as she turned the wallet over to reveal it to be bone dry.

Killer Bee thanked whatever deity there is out there for his mercy.

"Oh man, I so want that necklace." Hinata pouted.

"Another day, please." Killer Bee said.

"Oh, fine." Yugito said, "We'll buy it another day, Hinata, but right now, we have to save the poor baby over here."

* * *

Naruto took the chakra-storage seal, or CSS as he called to the eastern corner of the Haven, there, he found a very large tree and placed the small piece of paper to before whispering something. The Seal glowed red and the paper slowly merged with the tree, leaving only the ink seal visible.

With a satisfactory smile and nod, Naruto turned southward to put up the last CSS.

As he was walking down the street at a leisurely pace, one of the shop owners, a woman of about thirty years, came up to him. "Excuse me, Outcast-sama?"

"Yes?" He asked.

"The Hyuuga girl, she is precious to you correct?"

"Absolutely." Naruto said.

"Well, earlier today, she, Yugito-sama and Killer Bee-sama came by earlier today, shopping. They came into my store and Hyuuga-san found a necklace that she really wanted, but she had spent all of her money earlier today."

"Really, can I see the necklace in question?"

"Of course, this way if you please."

* * *

The next day, Hinata climbed the gigantic tree that held Naruto's office. She wanted to ask him about a job, since she was a little low on cash.

When she got up to the catwalk that went halfway around the tree before coming to his office, she couldn't help but think of that necklace. When she came to the cloth-covered doorway, she knocked on the doorframe, in case Naruto was doing something.

"Come in." Naruto voice said.

Hinata walked in to find Naruto working at his desk, doing a very small amount of paperwork, and by small I mean a few sheets, Naruto was the envy of every Kage at that moment.

"Oh, hey Hinata." Naruto said, putting his pen down, "What can I do for you?"

"Well, is there a mission I can take, 'cause I'm a little short on cash."

Naruto smiled, "You know, selling yourself to another village could be seen as treason." He laughed, "Nah, I'm just kidding." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag. "Here." He said.

Hinata looked confused for a second. "But I didn't do a mission."

Naruto smiled at her, "Because you completed it before I gave it to you."

"What did I do?" she asked, blinking like a deer in the headlights.

"You were being beautiful."

Hinata blushed. "Um, I don't think -."

"Nonsense." Naruto said, "It's my money, I'll give it to whomever I choose."

"But."

"Actually, now that I think about it, something could be done to make you drop-dead gorgeous."

"I-."

"Here," he said, standing up and holding a gold chain in his hand, "Put this on."

She just stared at him, speechless.

"Fine, if you won't I will." He said, holding the necklace by its clasps and very gently placing it around her neck. "There you go." Naruto said, as the necklace naturally draped around her neck. "Now you look all the more beautiful."

Hinata's cheeks looked like they were two red coals. "I-I-I-." She said, her stutter coming back with a vengeance.

Naruto smiled. "Thank you, you may go now."

Hinata's brain was too overloaded to respond to the sudden change, and her body went into autopilot, leading her slowly out of the room, her cheeks almost glowing with her blush.

Naruto smiled as she watched her go. _"Well, it's not subtle, but then again, that never was my specialty."_

He chuckled to himself and began to go back to his paperwork.

"_**Well aren't you the little Romeo?"**_ Kyuubi asked.

"_One more word and the chew toy is history."_ Naruto said to his tenent, not even looking up from his paperwork.

Kyuubi shuffled a bit, putting a large paw on the toy. _**"My chew toy."**_ He said to himself.

* * *

End of Chapter! Yeah! numbah 11 is up!


	12. Chapter 12

Naruto stood in his personal training area, lighting crackling around his fingers as he stood in an altered Jyuuken stance, before him stood six training dummies. Naruto took a deep breath before charging the wooden figures. The first dummy took a hit that sent bolts of electricity around the figure before they shot down to the ground. Dummy number two didn't fare that well either, its head lit on fire from the heat of the bolts.

Naruto smiled as he ripped through the training dummies. He laughed as the lightning bolts rammed into the wooden figures, doing untold internal damage.

Them, in a second, it was done. The dummies laid scattered on the floor, some burning, others looked like a little more than sawdust.

Naruto smiled bigger. "That is the Raiken."

* * *

Hinata walked up to the gates of Konoha and gave a weak smile.

It seemed brighter today.

She walked into the gates after answering a few short questions and saw that Konoha did indeed look brighter. Of course, it was probably the bright green, orange, and yellow paint that had been used to write, "Naruto's Next" on the Hokage monument.

She could also see three scaffolds that were being used to clean it off.

She also heard someone passing by mumble, "D**n troublemakers, what do they want to do, give Konoha a heart attack?"

Hinata could immediately tell who these 'troublemakers' were and she smiled. She made a note to go see them when she finished reporting in.

She smiled as she walked up to the Hokage tower, where several ninja had gathered for their assignments, among them was a team whose female member wanted to hurt someone if they ever mentioned anything perverted or relating to trees. "Hey Sakura-chan." Hinata said.

The pink-haired Kunoichi wheeled around at the voice, and smiled as she saw the owner. "Hinata-chan!"she cried as she ran over to the girl, "Oh, it's been so long. How have you been? Has the Outcast been treating you nicely? Because if not I'll hunt him down and throttle him for you."

Hinata smiled, "I'm fine, and honestly, I doubt it. The Outcast is excellent at stealth; he could probably kill you before you even realize he's there."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Of course you're known for giving people too much credit."

Hinata smiled, "Well then you'll never know then, will you?"

The door to the Hokage's officer opened and a new team of Genin left, the Jounin sesnei pointing to the door with a hitchhiker's thumb, "Next." He said.

"Thanks, Ebisu." Kakashi said, staring at his book the whole time, before leading his team in.

Hinata waited for team seven to finish. She laughed as she listened to Sakura screaming at Sai as he laughed at the word 'sword'.

When the team exited, Hinata went in, and met a very warm welcome from Tsunade. "Hinata! How's my favorite ambassador?"

"Fairly well, all things considering." Hinata said.

"So what has been happening in the Haven recently?"

Hinata sat down in a chair next to the Hokage's desk, "Well, the Outcast has been hlding a line of defenders on the Konoha-Kumo border, and they have let only a minimal number of teams get past the wall. Six I think. Anyways, any that have gotten past were taken out by The Outcast's specialized hunting teams." She went on to talk about the rest of the events that had gone by in the past month, mostly small, local news. All the while, Tsunade's eyes were on her neck.

"And that's about it." Hinata said in conclusion.

"So what's this?" Tsunade asked as she reached for a green emerald that sat underneath her headband.

Hinata blushed immediately as she thought about what had happened the other day., "Ah, ah that was a gift."

Tsunade smiled as she recognized that nervous blush. "Is he strong, Hinata."

"I-I-I-."

"That wasn't my question."

Hinata made a desperate last dodge attempt, "That has absolutely nothing to do with my mission."

Tsunade looked at her, a smile playing on her lips, "I guess you're right," she said, "Even ninja are allowed a private life."

Hinata sighed in relief.

Tsunade smiled, "You are dismissed, enjoy the rest of the day."

"Thank you, I will see you later, Hokage-sama." Hinata said, as she left, still a little red along her cheeks.

Tsunade smiled as she left, until a frown encroached on her face, _"She even forgot about him."_

* * *

Hinata walked along the long stairwell that went to the top of the Hokage monument. She whistled a tune Naruto had taught her as she walked up, smiling to herself as the sound of laboring workers could be heard, that and the ever present "Troublesome" signaling the presence of a Nara.

When she got to the top, she looked down from Sandaime's head to see three scaffolds hanging from his hair. On each scaffold was one team, teams 10, eight, and Gai.

"Hello down there!" she yelled.

Everyone looked up, and they all got really big smiles on their faces. "Well, well." Chouji said, "If it isn't Miss Ambassador herself."

Hinata smiled, "Hey, Chouji."

"Hey Hinata!" Kiba yelled, "Do you think _he_ would approve?"

"If you're talking about this mess, then yeah probably." Hinata said, while she scanned the cleaners, "Hey, Shino, Shikamaru, I'm surprised you're here, I thought both of you wouldn't have come because it's too illogical or 'troublesome.'"

"It is, Hinata-san." Shino repleied, "But it was sooooo worth it." He said, adding emotion to his voice for the first time that she could remember.

"Ditto." Shikamru said.

Hinata shook her head. "Hey guys, before I go."

"What?" Ino asked.

"I except this to read 'Believe it!' when I wake up tomorrow."

Neji smiled, "I'll do what I can, Hinata-sama."

"Yosh!" Lee cried, "We shall mirror Naruto's flames of youth until all of Konoha is ablaze! If not, then I will perform three thousand jumping jacks with triple the load of weights!"

Hinata shook her head before heading back down the stairs, she had some family business to attend to.

* * *

Hiashi sat in his office, alone.

It was dark.

He liked it that way.

Ever sense Hinata had been forced into a diplomatic mission to the Haven, he had become more and more sullen.

Some of his clan were very worried, some even thought that he was going to kill himself.

Idiots. He was depressed, not suicidal.

A hundred pictures of Yondaime hung from the walls with one new addition, a picture of a young boy wearing an orange jumpsuit with a brand new, navy blue Konoha headband tied to his head. A giant smile under his blond hair gave him away in a second, it was Naruto's ninja identification picture. It was probably the only one that wasn't locked away in some file somewhere, excluding the one Sakura had of her and her teammates.

Hiashi looked up at that picture, and sighed, "Oh Naruto, if only I had known you better."

A knock sounded at his door.

Hiashi sighed. "What?"

"Your daughter is here." A voice said.

"Hanabi?"

"No Hinata."

That door never opened so fast.

"Why didn't you say something!?" Hiashi yelled as he slammed the door open.

"She-she just arrived."

Hiashi looked at him before nodding, and collecting himself behind the stoic Hyuuga façade, walked down the hallway to meet his lovely daughter. "Hinata." He said, in his usually cold voice.

Hinata turned and bowed, "Father." She said.

Hiashi then smiled at her, "It's so good to see you again." He said before hugging her.

"It's good to see you too, dad."

"Come on," Hiahsi said, "I'm sure Hanabi wants to see you too."

* * *

Then next morning, Hinata slowly got out of bed. She groggily sat up on the bed, and stretched, before slowly getting up and dressing. She stood in from of her old, full length mirror and checked herself over.

Her eyes floated to the green necklace that hung from her neck.

She blinked at it and wondered for the millionth time in the last three days, _"Did that really happen? Or am I imagining things?"_

Suddenly, a scream was heard in the street.

Quickly, Hinata activated her Byakugan. She froze. Then she laughed. What she saw was the Hokage monument. Each Hokage had been messed with. Shodai now had a very large handlebar mustache painted on his face. The Nidamie was reading a large IchaIcha Paradise that was painted underneath him. Sandaime was looking over Nidaime's shoulder and you could see the trail of red paint falling from his nose to symbolize a nosebleed. Yondaime had six whisker marks painted in his cheeks, and a large, white, foxy grin was painted on his face. Finally Tsunade came, two, large circles were painted underneath her face, any ninja who had ever been in the Hokage's office instantly knew what those were.

Hinata shook her head, she knew three teams that were going to get in a lot of trouble.

* * *

Hinata walked deep into the forest, watching her surroundings while all the while, staring at her necklace. She still couldn't believe that had happened to her. It shone like a star in her memory, but, at the same time, despite the perfect clarity of that day, it seemed like a dream to her.

But it was a very good dream.

A twig snapped behind her. Hinata turned, and slipped into her Jyuuken stance, only to be hit in the side of the head with a large club.

She hit the ground hard, and as her world went to black, she could faintly hear a rough voice saying, "You got her, good, now we can make Konoha pay."

* * *

Hinata slowly woke up. She kept her eyes shut, but began to take in her surroundings.

She was sitting down, tied to a tree, her hands behind her. The voice of her captors sounded rough, the laughed loudly at coarse jokes and they made very rude remarks about anything they could think of.

Hinata wouldn't be surprised if they were drunk.

The strong smell of alcohol was a good give away.

She heard one of the men stagger by before falling flat on his face in front of her. Another one of the men hiccupped, "Hey…" he said slowly, "Suoldn't wi helph?"

"Nah." Another said, "Not ower fault thet e can'd hold hiz liquor."

Hinata almost shook her head at the volume of their voices; they obviously thought they were whispering. Keyword thought.

Hinata couldn't help but think this is why Konoha never let its ninjas bring alcohol on any mission.

Hinata would even willingly bet that if she cut herself free, stood up, and walked away that these bozos would barely move to stop her, and if they did, they'd probably fail miserably.

She slowly reached for the file that she hid in a hidden pocket in her sleeve and began to wear down the ropes.

After twenty minutes, her hands were free. But she still sat there, eyes closed, waiting for her captors to fall asleep.

Soon the whole clearing was filled with loud snoring.

Hinata sat against the tree for another ten minutes before opening her eyes aand quietly making it to the edge of the camp.

She just made it into the trees when a rough hand fell on her shoulder. She turned and saw a tall man with auburn hair and a Kumo headband tied to his head. "Where do you think you're going, miss?"

"_Shoot." _Hinata thought, _"This is their Jounin instructor."_

"I told my students not to bring Sake along." The man said with a smile on his face, "But I guess that just means I'll have you all to myself then."

Hinata suddenly tried to move into her Jyuuken stance but was stopped when a bolt of electricity ran through her body.

"Now, now, don't' resist, you don't want this to hurt more than it has to, do you?" The man said, as Hinata fell to the floor.

"Go die." Hinata said, as she tried to move, but only received a shock.

"You sound like you have a lot of fight in you, that's just the way I like it." The man said, reaching for his pants.

Suddenly, a loud croak could be heard next to them. The man turned his head in that direction, waiting to see if an attack would come from that way. Nothing but only a few more croaks. "Stupid frog." The man mumbled before reaching for his zipper.

Suddenly, another croak sounded, this one from the other side of the clearing. This croak was quickly followed by another one, then another one, then another one. In seconds, the whole clearing was surrounded by croaks from invisible frogs.

The Kumo Jounin looked around him, "This isn't natural." He said calmly, before slowly pulling out a kunai.

Suddenly, the croaking stopped, and all that was left was silence.

The Kumo nin stood there for a second, before he heard a faint whisper. "You were warned."

Suddenly, the blackness surrounding the ninjas erupted in flame, surrounding the Kumo nin with a perfectly circular wall of fire. The Kumo nin watched with a growing sense of horror as he suddenly realized that in the fire were figures, heads and skulls all bearing the N of the Outcast.

An eerie chill crept up on the Kumo nin as he slowly realized that he was trapped, and worse yet, someone was coming for him.

Suddenly, a black figure appeared, he looked evil, approaching from the flames. His masked face seemed to command the forces of nature, and his eyes seemed to hold death itself.

As he stepped out of the wall of fire, the flames seemed to lick at the hem of his coat. His shadow seemed to dance in the firelight. The Uzu headband looked as if it were blood red, and the sword at his side seemed to glow.

It was then, finally that the Kumo nin realized just who he was messing with. "Th-th-th-th-the O-o-o-o-o-Outcast."

The Outcast said nothing, but only put his hand on his sword.

The Kumo nin, realizing that a ninja marked, "flee on sight" was after him, began to shake. "D-d-d-don't come any closer." He said, as he gripped his kunai for his life.

The Outcast took a step forward.

"I-I-I said don't come any closer!"

The Outcast slowly drew his glowing, white blade.

"Please…" The man begged.

The Outcast raised his blade and swung down.

Quickly, the Kumo nin brought up his kunai, hoping to block the glowing blade.

His hopes shattered as he watched his kunai split.

The blade finished its stroke, coming within a millimeter of his nose.

The man gaped for a minute, before he heard the sound of cloth moving against hair. Suddenly, his headband fell to the ground, the metal plate split in half. The man froze as he realized that the glowing blade in front of him had just sliced his headband in half, and he barely saw it.

Finally, the Outcast spoke. "You have a very large forehead. That's a lot of canvas for only a single 'N.'"

The nin suddenly collapsed. "No, please, I have a wife and child! Please!"

The Outcast's cold blue eyes stared at him. "If you have a wife and child, then they would be a family better off without a whoremonger like you as a father. No offence, Hinata-chan."

"None taken." She said as she slowly got up.

"No please, please, don't kill me."

"You infiltrate fire territory to attack Konoha, you try to rape the Hyuuga heiress, who is also the ambassador to my city, and you are an uncaring and unfaithful father. Three strikes and you're out."

"No, please."

"Don't worry about you're students, I don't kill sleeping men. If they get the message and leave, they won't get hurt." The Outcas t slowly approached the man's face, "You better hope your students have at least one good head on their shoulders."

* * *

The next morning, The three Kumo students woke up to their captive being gone, and their sensei's body hanging from a tree. A sign was tied around his chest that read. "Leave, and you won't end up like your sensei."

Luckily, one of the students there brought up the point that if the Outcast could leave a sign like this, then their lives was already in his hands once, and if they let that happen again, who knows what would happen.

So, wisely, they decided to grab his body and head for home.

* * *

Hinata was back in her tree house, standing on the balcony with a small cup of tea in her hands. She watched with a smile on her face as several kids ran down the street playing tag. Suddenly, one of them tripped, and fell, but before he could hit the ground, Naruto appeared with a yellow flash of light and caught him.

"Careful kid, we don't want your mother getting upset because you scratched your knee up."

The boy smiled "Thanks, Outcast-sama!" he said before running off to continue their game.

Naruto shook his head before walking along on the dirt-packed road.

Hinata watched him go, smiling as he walked down the street. All the while, she couldn't help but think what a great father he'd be.

Her hand unconsciously reached up for the emerald necklace around her neck. She looked down at it and fingered it awhile.

Now that she thought about, it was kind of weird. She wanted to get this for herself just so she could wear it at formal dinner or something, but now that Naruto had given it to her, this same necklace took on a whole new meaning.

It was _his_ gift to _her_.

He got it specifically for her, he bought it for her. He bought it to make her happy.

Amazing how just one motive can change something entirely.

The thought about what happened the other day came at her for what seemed like the millionth time.

She sighed, before sipping her tea. It was official. The next time she saw him, she'd ask exactly what he meant by that.

And she'd get an answer or else.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Now to answer a couple of questions:

#1. Why is Itachi a cowboy? Well, to put it simply, because I want him to be XP. It all started back when school was still in session, we were watching "The Pale Rider" for something or another, and I just had that image in my mind when I brought in Itachi, so I made an experiment, and poof! You have a really cool dude in leather boots and a trench coat.

#2. Why does Naruto mark his victims with an 'N'? Why not the mark of the Exile? I made it an 'N' simply because it's much easier to carve. Don't believe me? Then you try taking a knife and carving a perfect circle in a piece of wood. An 'N' is much easier.

So, see ya next time.


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys, I've got some bad news. I have discontuied all of my stories. I was talking with my mother earlier and she brought up a very important point, practice could become something more than practice, she went to a job interview for practice and wound up with the job and stayed in New Orleans for five years.

And the thing is, she's right. I haven't even touched my real story in months.

Talk about a wakeup call.

So this is my last chapter on . I enjoyed your reviews and your questions, but now it is time for me to go.

As for my "Fanfiction will" Anyone can take any of my in progress stories and make them your own.


	14. Chapter 14

News Update: NaruxHina831 has offered to adapt this story.


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